


The Fool's Odyssey

by BurntMonjayaki01



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Gen, Light Angst, POV Third Person Omniscient, Retelling, Slice of Life, Slow Burn, Slow Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-30
Updated: 2018-12-29
Packaged: 2019-05-16 00:45:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 25
Words: 142,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14801132
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BurntMonjayaki01/pseuds/BurntMonjayaki01
Summary: Akira Kurusu. A teen who wishes for a moral world, but ends up being the butt of immoral deeds (loved ones included). His grim prospects lead him away to Tokyo, away from everything he's known. Then, life throws him a bone. A chance to make that dream a reality. The question: Is there a hero left to meet the challenge? And can that gel with the mess that's his life?A Retelling/Adaptation of P5 with Canon Divergences periodically.





	1. Prologue Part I: The Sunken Place

**Author's Note:**

> Remembered I had a A03 account. Figured since I've been on FanFiction for quite a while, and since I've been slowly getting back into a groove with writing, I'd start posting on here. 
> 
> This was originally a fanfic that started last year, but I didn't like where it was going. Recently, I've been trying to start fresh to an extent, and not force myself to write. So, I can't really commit to schedules and such; if it comes, I'll try to fine polish it.
> 
> (9/26: All chapters are going to receive a 'polishing' update to get rid of some embarrassing errors here and there)

4/9

Long train rides, whether you're on them or waiting for them, always have a way of reminding you of what you have lost.

Akira supposed he was the case example of the day.

Akira didn't want to imagine a moment like the one he was in right now. He would have just preferred a typical day.

For him, a "typical day" would be his dad waking him up with a swoosh of his covers and a straightforward, but courteous "Wake up please."

Prepping for school by grabbing some leftover natto from the fridge and preparing his bento box for the day.

Appreciating the sunrise for maybe twenty, thirty minutes while getting a whiff of oceanic salt from one the house's open windows.

Then, actually preparing for school by reading about Newton's Third Law in one hand and remembering chemistry tables in another.

Placing onigiri, his sister's favorite snack at the household altar to pay his respects. Imbibing the smell of freshly brewed, pick-me-up coffee and letting his black, frizzy hair mop up the acidic stench.

Doing a math test, and passing without trying.

Coming after school to his dad's shop to tinker with spare inverters (under daddy dearest's nose) and exploding a few in the process. Maybe beating his personal record on the Rubik Cube for the rest of the day; at least, until his dad forced him to do a training regimen since "Dad didn't raise no skinny cowards."

Those type of things.

But as his dad would also say:

_Shit happens. Best you take it on the chin._

As he was waiting, before the morning breeze hit him, the cold blanketing him made his hands tremble. His whole body started to feel as if he were in the deep sea, with his arms and legs shackled to a sinking boat. It was cold like that on the day too…

And unlike today, the welcoming of the sun and the ocean breeze would bring no solace to him.

And instead of regular school clothes, he would now wear for the year a uniform with an emblem of Shujin Academy, with red and black square patterned slacks to boot.

The irony of a school name like that didn't fall on deaf ears.

A faint trace of anger from his core started to reverberate into his arm.

"Enough," a man echoed out. Akira was taken aback by the sudden sensation of rough, calloused worker's hands from this phantom of his; enough to reel himself back together. He turned right, eyes wide open to the grey-haired, wizened man keeping him together (or at least, the digits on his hand, and his hand on his arm, and his arm on his body).

It was after Akira clasping on his wrist that the shaking stopped. Akira couldn't help but slink back to his resting face, bags forming under his eyes.

"Sorry," he responded.

"You know, for what it's worth, I failed too."

"Stop, dad" Akira shouted suddenly. Talking in his current state wasn't easy for him; it felt as if he had more to say but the words were stuck, seized by his larynx and barely escaping into the night. For a second, he doubted the words registered. But, it seemed the old man could hear just fine, despite his age. The old man let go of his hand.

Akira then found his words coming more naturally, as he said, calmly while taking off a set of stylish, see-through glasses:

"I mean, just stop. The fault is mine, and so is the punishment."

"Tell that to the man sitting here."

"The last time I checked, I'm the one who has to leave."

"Yeah...because to you, the world revolves around you."

A long pause, and then:

"Maybe when this is all over, and the murmurs quiet down, you can come back here and maybe work in the shop for a bit. Full time. Maybe it will work out…"

"I don't see why uncle couldn't have been an option for the meantime."

He turned to stare grimly at Akira.

_Great_ , Akira told himself.

"Because he would probably teach you how to squander everything you've been given and pray all day."

Then, a needed silence. It was only broken by the warbling around them.

An hour passed. The siren for Akira's new life came: a straight line towards Tokyo proper.

"I should get going back to the shop; you'll get your...stuff soon in the mail," his dad murmured. He started to walk back to his car.

As Akira boarded the train with his travel bag and the memories of this town on the back of his shoulders, his dad cried out:

"Hey; keep the glasses on. They make you seem more civil."

The train doors then shuttered behind Akira. He turned around to find his dad standing by his car, staring at him. It sounded like the silliest thing to ask someone to do; yet, something told Akira he could at least humor him. He put the glasses on in front of his dad. He then walked to the nearest seat and stared out the blurred landscape, only inviting in the ever creeping feeling of distance.

After a while, his eyes started to become heavy and he began to slip away…

But then, something peculiar happened. Akira, after blinking his eyes sleepily just once, saw the world around him darken and turn monochrome. This alone shocked Akira out of his stupor. He was now sitting in a dark, frigid room on a cold, metallic chair. His head was starting to form a dull sensation; a low, but persistent ringing was filling his ears, and his face and wrists were aching in pain. He noticed now the bruises all over his hands and the swollen outlines where something choked his wrists. There was a figure in front of him also sitting, though it was blending into the darkness around him. Its silhouette though was just noticeable enough to show the outline of a torso. This person was indeed a young adult female by the curve of her abdomen. He could hear over his muted hearing that she was attempting to say something, and from the pitch and force of the sound, she was starting to lose her patience.

Suddenly, a blue butterfly began to materialize to the right of him. It was translucent, shining like a diamond and flying effortlessly away, only to once again dissipate into the darkness. As it faded away, the woman in front of him completely faded into the darkness as well, and the earnest, yet poised voice of a small girl called out to Akira from all around him. It said the following:

"You are held captive. A prisoner of fate to a future that has been sealed in advance. This is truly an unjust game. Your chances of winning are almost none…But if my voice is reaching you, there may yet be a possibility open to you…I beg you. Please overcome this game, and save the world…The key to victory lies within the memories of your bonds—the truth that you and the people closest to you grasped."

The disoriented Akira was about to yell into the black surrounding him to inquire who was speaking to him when a train siren began honking. A light began to envelop everything around him, getting even brighter with each toot…

He woke up to find that he was exiting a tunnel. An LCD screen alerted him that Shibuya station was the next stop. The black characters on the screen were starting to get their color again.

* * *

In Shibuya, where the buildings were bigger, it was cloudy. The only thing that light could do here was to cut through the sky in gossamer whiffs and through the wooden bars of Makoto Nijima's bedroom window and signal her to wake up and make breakfast for her sister before she had to leave for school.

The light revealed her hazel, almost crimson, eyes, and they were directed towards her loose pajamas and then to the clock. The time of 6:45 AM told Makoto that Sae would be home soon. She then dragged herself up from her small bed and to the closet in front of her.

Ahead of her was a small set of clothes: restrained white turtlenecks, and black leggings crammed with Shujin Academy-issued, black and red pleated skirts. Under those were her favorite pair of brown ankle boots and some black slip-ons reserved for days off. And lastly, to finish off her ensemble was her signature black halter vest.

She then set her attention to the smell of mothballs around her father's belongings, which were neatly folded into a cardboard box.

For her, an invitation to both happiness and sadness.

After freshening up, she went directly to the kitchen to make breakfast. Not much time before the train, so Sae's was first: fried rice and miso soup were on the menu. She even had a table for both of them to log in daily values for 30+ necessary nutrients. Though, as of late, Sae hadn't been around to fill these out. So, Makoto had to wing it with simple meals. Besides, she reckoned the sodium from the miso would make Sae's skin livelier.

An hour passed. The line to Aoyama-Itchome was coming soon, and she couldn't be late for her first day as a third year. Makoto started to get dressed for school, finishing up with a brown braided headband which always camouflaged itself as part of her hair.

As she was grabbing her brown leather bag to depart, her sister walked through the door.

It was quite a surprise. Her sister had been kept at the police station due to sudden instances of "psychotic breakdowns" as they called it.

In Tokyo, having one person breakdown from time to time was sadly not too common, given the stressful nature of the city.

But they were happening too often and to big-profile people.

And she knew a person like Sae is driven to anomalies, whether she liked it or not. It was the way their father taught how to approach the truth, and sadly, she didn't know any other way; searching for the truth lately wasn't doing wonders for her.

For all she knew, a ghostly wraith in the image of Sae had popped into her door instead of the actual one.

And yet, Makoto could do what she thought she could do. "Sis!" Makoto said greeted with a smile. Makoto hoped the smile would add some life to Sae.

"Ah, Makoto.." Sae murmured. She attempted to respond back with a smile too, though it was noticeably a weak one. "Heading out for school, are you?" Sae then turned to the neatly placed arrangement of food for her at their glass dinner table.

"Miso?" Sae commented as she looked at her watch.

An alert on Sae's phone came up. Sae's eyes dimmed after a few seconds of reading.

"Look, Makoto. I should go back to work. A top Okumura Foods executive this time. I believe it's another "incident." I'll take a nap here; I'll put this stuff in the fridge in the meantime."

"You sure, Sis, about this being another shutdown?" Makoto replied.

Sae was never one for hesitation. Or naivete from her sister. "Of course I do" she replied curtly. "I could go more into the details of the crime scene, but that's police business. Just trust me when I say it's another one."

"Ok Sis...just don't forget to keep up your health, ok?" Makoto said quietly as she left Sae's apartment. A quick look at her wristwatch prompted her to rush quickly to Shibuya station.

After storing Makoto's show of conciliation into the fridge, Sae couldn't but collapse onto the living room couch. With the alarm set on her phone, she, in a matter of a few minutes, was fast asleep. But before she did, she uttered one thing from her mouth:

"What a mess you left me with, old man."

* * *

Awaiting him were torrents of people spilling out of train carts, people of different heights, different-colored clothing combinations, different hairs, different aftershaves, and different degrees of shoving Akira out of the way. To say this was sensory overload for Akira was an understatement; he would never have had situations like this back home. Often, the only chatter he usually would hear was that of seagulls overhead and car engines under the hood. Here, though, it was a forest of concrete, inundated with snaking rivers of people and cars. He couldn't help but stand still, paralyzed. The large TV screen mounted onto the skyscraper in front of him once he walked up out of the station didn't help.

He attempted to bring himself back to reality by going to his phone. Before he opened his GPS to navigate to Yongen-Jaya, he noticed a weird app on his phone. It was a red, throbbing, square box of an eye. Out of curiosity, he pushed on the icon, only for it to expand on the screen.

Then, time stopped. Everyone, even the people in the middle of the road, froze. The muddled sounds became a deafening silence, one so intense that Akira was beginning to imagine a faint ringing in his ears.

Amid the frozen crowd, at the base of the TV skyscraper, a woman was crying out in front of him as a man was fondling her breast. "Please, help!".

The sky around him was dimming.

An entitled, drunk adult wearing orange glasses and a blue suit grunted in disgust. "Keep your mouth shut!"

That last line triggered an almost primal rage deep down in Akira, one that steadied his eyes and primed his muscles for rushing at something. Or someone.

This desire was so strong that Akira felt his right foot move forward.

Suddenly, a blue fire began to fill the distant background of where the TV skyscraper was. The people frozen in place were fuel, as one by one the fire engulfed them all, feeding off their presence. The fire became as tall as a skyscraper, and from the flames, a jack-o-lantern face formed and laughed maniacally. Akira wished he could have looked away from the inferno. But...he couldn't.

He took another step towards it. However, he quickly lost his balance. He lurched down towards the ground, feeling like he was falling through water.  _I must have tripped somehow_ , he thought. As he hit the ground, though, everything returned to normal.

Well, almost normal.

He now found himself surrounded by a group of bewildered pedestrians. He had fell face first on to the ground. Now turned over, he saw a brown-haired girl in a black halter vest looking over him.


	2. Prologue, Part II: Beneath the Eyeglasses

Well, Makoto's first day as a third year was not without excitement.

She navigated the forming crowd of concerned passersby to find a boy (in a Shujin uniform no less), face on the pavement.

This indeed was quite concerning for her.

She decided to get on her knees to get a better look at this "student." She noticed a scar on the palms of his hands.  _Interesting; they were old-looking._   _Not relevant here though._  It seemed rude to her, but she thought she'd at least turn him over to see how he was looking. She flipped him over to see his skin looking fleshy and not pale. She also felt better seeing his lungs move. She lent an ear to his chest; his thorax sounded clear. His pulse was normal too. A faint waft of something sharp came from his hair.

_Coffee perhaps?_

She felt somewhat embarrassed to be close to a stranger's face like this, but she'd rather be safe than sorry.

She moved her eyes to his face. An ear to his mouth.  _Strong breaths. Thank goodness,_  she thought.

Despite the fall, his glasses stuck to his nose like glue, due to his bushy, curly hair keeping the arms of his glasses firmly stuck on his head. Though...they were rather dusty. Understandable, given the fall.

Suddenly, she was greeted by his greyish irises.

"Are you ok?"

Akira got himself back up.

"I'm fine. Thanks for your concern." His nose could have felt better though.

"So, you're Shujin correct? I don't think I've seen you before."

Akira looked around to see a small crowd hovering over him. "Well, I am actually a transfer student. Akira Kurusu; at your service. Though...I'd prefer Ren myself if you don't mind. Too much cultural references made at my expense." Akira did a bow, almost playfully. Though he stumbled a bit, a bit dazed from his fall.

"Makoto Nijima. At  _your_ service." For some reason, Makoto couldn't help but smile, even though she probably should have asked why he was in such a compromising situation to begin with.

 _So, a transfer student_ , Makoto wondered. Her intuition  _(he seemed…out of place)_  told her this fluffy-haired student was probably not a city boy.  _Should I ask—_

"Sorry," Akira interrupted. "It's probably obvious, but I guess my country self isn't used to the bustle of the city. Clumsy me." Akira did want to make this less awkward, considering how warm she was being with him; plus, he could tell by that glitter in the eye she would open a floodgate of questions. "Please, if you don't mind, walk with me and I'll answer your questions. I'm taking the line to Yongen nearby."

She figured it'd be fine; the line to Yongen was on the way towards the school line anyway. For her, he didn't seem like the "aggressive type." "After you."

Walking together normally, she figured it would be ok to start firing away. "So I guess you don't mind if I ask where you're from."

Something told Akira he shouldn't be so open with the details of his move.  _Name, location, fill in between with lies. Keep it short and sweet as planned._

"Minomiya, near the coast. My parents are away on business in China, so they're having me stay with a friend of the family in Yongen-Jaya. I got roped into wearing the outfit today; my guardian, without sounding so rude, is…'bad' at remembering important dates, so my mom thought wearing the uniform when showing up in person would help.

 _Well-mannered in speech,_  she thought. _His story makes sense._  Something told her though it was well-rehearsed.

Too rehearsed; it made her wonder if being the slightest suspicious of everyone was just a family trait.

Either way...

_His glasses are too filthy._

_Unacceptably filthy._

_She probably is busy,_  Akira thought;  _might be pleasant to talk to her more,_   _but I shouldn't be imposing on her time._  "So, Ms. Nijima," Akira continued. "I suppose you have-"

Before Akira could finish his question, Makoto seized Akira's glasses with her left hand while furiously rummaging in her leather bag with her right, exposing all of her notebooks.  _One for each subject/activity by the looks of it,_ Akira commented. Makoto gave up trying to find something to clean his glasses with and resorted to using the inside part of her shirt arm. "Such a shame; these shirts stain easily."

Akira was startled by how furiously she was buffing his glasses. This was his first day wearing these useless glasses, and she was treating them as if she were excavating an archaeological piece. He was scared they would fall apart due to her "vigor."

Makoto eyeballed the glasses, checking for any remaining smudge. "That's funny; you're wearing glasses, but with no prescriptions."

At this point, Akira was more amused than annoyed. He probably should have hustled more to get to his guardian, he thought, but it was almost funny to see her being so enthusiastic about something as small as glasses. Much like a tourist laughs at local idiosyncrasies.

Didn't help that she was looking...the way she was looking. She was making a boring-ass, standardized Shujin uniform seem more appealing, maybe even...

_Dignified? Regal perhaps?_

Makoto started to get self-conscious; she did take his glasses after all, and he was giving her a rather long, incredulous stare. "Sorry; here are your glasses. I was surprised you were able to see past all of the dirt."

"What can I say? I have a third eye. Well, you should get going. You still should have class right? Knowing you, you'll probably one of those...Student Council overachievers."

Makoto eyes lighted up. "Wait, how did you-"

"Sorry. A bit rude to guess, but I wouldn't be surprised if you were a try-hard, student-council girl."

She didn't prefer to be typecasted without concrete evidence...even if it was true.

"That, and I noticed you have a separate notebook for all of your subjects, and one for your Student Council duties."

She took that thought back. "Well...you're forward. Maybe a bit too blunt for your good. But, I can't say you're wrong. You win this time."

"Well, forgive me for putting you on the spot, but I must be going."

She was about to apologize for not offering anything like water or such, but he started to walk off before she could utter anything else.

Something made him want to turn around and say something. While playing with his curls, he cracked a smile, glasses slightly down:

"Sorry, I know I'm being a bit standoffish, but I hope we'll see each other around again if Student Council gives you any free time. Well, see you!"

He parted way with her by disappearing into another crowd. At least when he left, it looked like she had a genuine smile on his face. He thought more people like her would make the prospect of being a Shujin student easier to swallow.

For him, though, it sucked he had to lie to her like that. She probably would have found out anyway about his record.

Still, he didn't want to make it awkward during the very first meeting.

"Only thing I can do now is to head to Yongen. Schoolboy-and-schoolgirl pleasantries can happen later." Going to his GPS though, he couldn't help but notice the red, pulsing icon of an eye on his phone. He didn't download this before. Matter of fact, this icon filled his screen before he had his…"episode."

 _Nah, it is a coincidence. Should just be a coincidence._  He dragged the app to the trash icon on his phone.

Then, a drop of blood fell on his phone screen.

_…I didn't fall that hard on the ground, did I?_

* * *

At last, one blood-nose worth of tissues and another line switch later, Akira finally arrived in Yongen-Jaya, west of where he showed off his illustrious charm and poise. It was nearing noon, and the overcast from earlier this morning fully covered the sky. That made an already large set of grey, acid-rain stained concrete buildings seem even grayer. For all Akira knew, he was still in juvie in a cell.

His nose was starting to bleed a bit again.

"Well then…." Akira was dabbing his nose once again and looked at his freshly stained tissue. "Well...at least I know I haven't turned colorblind."

This whole "wandering aimlessly through Yongen alleyways thing" was becoming grating. He still remembered the plan: depart to Shibuya, transfer to Yongen, and find Sojiro Sakura's house. But the lack of hits on his GPS made it seem like this Sojiro character didn't want to be found.

At the end, Akira swallowed his pride and asked a nearby cop. If they weren't going to protect the innocent with distinction, Akira thought, they better at least direct him to the right place.

"Excuse me, officer," Akira asked politely.

This young, rookie officer didn't look like he went through socialization classes in the academy.

"Huh? What do you want? And why are you wearing a school uniform on a school day, huh?" The policeman inched closer to him; Akira could only guess this rookie wanted to flash his police emblem, just to make it clear who he was talking to. "I swear, if you are ditching class…"

"Then call my school and waste your time," Akira quipped. "I'll even write down the name and number of the place. And I do have a good memory."

Akira couldn't help but form a small smirk on the left side of his face as he took off his glasses.

"Now,  _officer_ , do you know where Sojiro Sakura lives? I would like to know where my guardian is staying. For obvious reasons of course."

The baby-faced officer attempted to glare Akira into compliance. Akira wasn't fazed.

The police officer forced this out through the spaces of his closed teeth:

"Up the street…make a right after the second bike rack."

A saccharine smile from ear to ear sprouted on Akira's face as he back on his stylish glasses. "Thank you, officer. You do your badge a great service." He imagined while walking away this rookie would cold-clock him with his baton, considering how the veins in the officer's neck were bulging by the time he got to "service." Luckily, saner heads prevailed.

"Minako probably would be laughing her ass off," Akira murmured to himself.

Akira finally arrived at Sojiro Sakura's house. Several rings of the doorbell told him he wasn't there. Or that he was asleep. Or that he died while on the way here. All of those options left Akira out of luck, as his parents didn't give Sojiro's number; or rather, he didn't feel like giving his parents their number.

The whole arrangement seemed weird to him, even now. Even though the courts didn't give his parents a choice, his dad didn't seem to despair too much on the logistics. His dad wasn't a pauper, but his shop could only make so much money, even before the alimony payments.

Maybe Mom's doing? Mom came from a family of means, but she was only a woman in a family of men, by men, for men.  _Not much left for her,_  Akira assumed.

Uncle? Uncle gave his money away, so probably not. He could have lied and have stored some extra change away, but the last time he checked, Uncle mostly subsisted on bean sprouts and green tea.

Either way, he was warned by all three before arriving that Sojiro was not the kind and welcoming type. Unless money's involved.

_Just what the hell was-_

Akira noticed a presence on a right. A mail deliveryman with what looked like a printer and some hard drives was looking at the place, and then him, with a quizzical expression.

"Huh," he commented. "I've haven't seen you before around Sojiro's place. You new?"

Akira, not being privy to divulge too much, decided to reply with:

"Well, I'm supposed to be working at Sojiro's shop as a part-timer today. But I guess he's not here, and he didn't bother to say where his shop is."

"Part-timer? That old man is taking on help. Well, I'm surprised. But that's good; maybe you'll give him some breathing room. He's probably at his café, LeBlanc. Down in the alleyway facing the second-hand store."

"Thank you so much," Akira replied. Screw walking, he thought. He was starting to shake from the cold from waiting so long in front of this man's place. A nice jog there would warm himself up.

His mother wasn't wrong when she described it eloquently as "the most charming faux-French hole-in-the-wall outside of Paris  _(maybe she was in Paris at this rate?)_." A few planters stood guard in front of a large wood-outlined glass window with the canvas shutter behind it pulled down. Next, to the door, specials for the day on a chalkboard were laid onto a chair. "Featuring….fire curry and Blue Mountain selection?" Akira could have thought more about what the hell Blue Mountain was, but he was tired of the outside.

Plus...he could use some coffee.

* * *

Meanwhile, the Shujin Academy banner blazed proudly.

To Makoto, Shujin was where she saw Sae take her high school diploma; Dad was as proud as he could ever be.

The steps were also loaded with memories:

Sae was already a year in her job as a detective. In the SIU at age 22 no less. Makoto, much to her embarrassment was a bit nervous walking up these steps; Shujin was much larger than her small, private middle school, so she would have had to interact with more people. A larger unknown variable to deal with. So, having Sae with her before she went to work and Dad, fit as a fiddle and in uniform about to head to Shinjuku for daily patrol, made her feel like that stuff didn't matter.

The past two years weren't bad though. She took her sister's words to heart and ignored all distractions. And so far, it's been working fine; student council made up for that. At least she could understand people and their problems; _that had to count for something._  Or rather, she could do so within faculty guidelines as the second-year class representative.

And now, starting today she would be leading the Student Council; her record and high regard helped to smooth things along.

She almost wished Dad and Sis were here today. But, she wasn't exactly a child either anymore. Better to accept it now rather than later.

As she went up the two sets of stairs and into the school entrance, a familiar face greeted her.

"Nijima-san?"

Makoto turned to see a woman in her mid-20s wearing a long-sleeved, yellow shirt, denim skirt, and a veil of exhaustion that betrayed her warm smile.

"Oh, Kawakami-sensei!"

Sadayo Kawakami. Her second-year homeroom teacher; she taught Japanese. She remembered how much life there was in her face. How she would announce the start of the day with such energy, how she stressed the differences in interpretation in a text. Some found her overbearing back then. For Makoto, "overbearing" meant "effective." The feeling from what she remembered was mutual; Kawakami did say she gave her a glowing recommendation after all. She was still the youngest teacher at Shujin, though, so it hard to say whether that carried much weight.

Either way, Shujin could always use more vitality. Shujin needed her.

Which is why her exhaustion was jarring.

Makoto though didn't feel like being rude. Simple greetings sounded appropriate here.

"My, Kawakami-sensei! It has been a while. How have you been?"

"Oh, I have been doing ok," Kawakami replied, though with some hoarseness.

"Are you ok? It sounds like you should go to the doctor."

"Oh it's fine," Kawakami replied, now with more energy as if she was now self-conscious. "It's actually been quite a hassle as of late." Kawakami got closer and looked around to make sure nobody was listening. "Listen, congrats on the Student Council Presidency. I think you'll do well; I mean you put so much effort into the school, and I hope it bears fruit this upcoming year. Especially on your college applications. Which is why I'm telling you this early. The faculty was going to brief the Student Council about this….but I guess if you know earlier, the better given how serious this can be."

Makoto was standing attention, eyes wide. "What is, sensei?"

Kawakami sighed. "So…we're getting a transfer student beginning next Monday. A problem child. A genuine problem child. Assault-level bad. On a random adult, no less. I still don't understand why Shujin would let someone like him in. I'm still probing the principal about it, but you know how difficult he can be. But look: just watch out for a second-year named Akira Kurusu. The faculty is putting me in charge of him…I'll try to keep his history silent, but I might need the Student Council's help at some point to keep tabs on him. Though I think at that point, the principal would just expel him."

Makoto couldn't help but hold her hand in front of her mouth. "Oh my….I'm honestly surprised too."

Why wouldn't she? Having someone guilty of assault bump into her and give her such an innocent expression...Makoto had trouble wrapping her mind around that.

For her, he did seem eager to get going after they met. But still, for some reason, she did feel like her interaction with was genuine.

That he would be happy to see her again if they happened to meet in the hallway.

Plus...he had the hair of a teddy bear. It almost reminded her of her Buchimaru plush at home.

Still...this was a peculiar case indeed.

Before she could ask further:

"So yeah," Kawakami continued. "I shouldn't keep you here for too long. I apologize; I know Student Council was already busy before all of this. Just do your best ok?" Kawakami punctuated this with her biggest smile and continued on her way.

Makoto though was still somewhat haunted by this fact. That fluffy-haired kid? A criminal…..she shouldn't dwell on this too much, she thought to herself. Class awaits.

* * *

Inside were an old man and woman, probably man and wife, in a mahogany leather booth sipping on coffee from fine china cup-and-saucers. They were watching the small flat-screen in the back of the eating area. To their flank was the countertop area, which guarded the small blue fridge and stove in the back. And on one of the bar chairs was a man, in a pink dress shirt with rolled-up selves and black-pinstriped apron, doing the crossword. He also sported a black goatee-sideburn combo.

This "manager" was hopefully Sojiro, Akira said to himself. Well, given how unoccupied with coffee and curry to the point of doing a crossword instead, he probably needed some help.

A shame, though; the aroma in this place was something to die for. If only his nose weren't slightly clogged from dried-up blood.

Then, a loud man in front of a neon yellow news background began to speak from the TV:

"A public transit bus was driven down an opposing lane with its customers still in it! Even though no one died because of this reckless act, the citizens of Tokyo can't live in peace if this keeps up!

The elderly husband addressed the general with air:

"How frightening…."

"What could be going on?" responded the wife. "Didn't something similar happen the other day?"

Meanwhile, the man in the pink dress shirt murmured,

"Vertical is…the name of a shellfish used for farming pearls…"

"Oyster," Akira quipped. It was time to ruin this guy's "fun" and get somewhere.

Akira caught this man's attention, though admittedly he caught him off-guard; in the boy's eyes, it was quite the first impression from someone venerated in serving coffee and curry to old patrons.

"Oh right. They did say it was today." The pink shirt man now had some life in his step; he threw his newspaper behind the counter and stood up to present himself. At this point, the elderly couple laid money on the table for their meal.

"We'll be going now," said the husband. "At least this place is in a back alley, so no cars are going to come crashing."

"A What?" the manager said, cleary not listening to what was being said around him.

"Oh sorry, there's been a string of those rampage accidents, you know. I just hope that none happen around here."

"It's none of my concern," Sojiro said in a deadpan manner. His mom warned him about how unsociable this guy was. Still, how was this man still in business with that customer service, he didn't know.

The elderly man laughed it off and proceeded on his way, leaving Akira alone with this boar with sideburns (who just so happens to make good coffee apparently). As he left, Akira couldn't help but hear this man mumble:

"Four hours for just a single cup of joe, huh?"

The money from Akira's patron WOULD be for a just cause after all.

"So, you're Akira?" He chimed in.

Akira pulled his glasses up before speaking; he did want to make the best first impression after all, and his glasses were the best bet, considering he never arranged his hair to look "presentable," as his mother called it. "Yes. I assume you're Sakura-san? If so, then treat me kindly." He punctuated his last words with a half-bow."

"Yeah…I'm Sojiro Sakura. You'll be in my custody over the next year. I was wondering what kind of unruly kid would show up, but you're the one, huh?"

"Well, sorry to disappoint you," Akira said with a light expression on his face.

"Well don't worry; you're probably one of those nice guys who turn into loose cannons every so often." He then started to get more solemn. "So, have you been told? A customer of mine and your parents know each other and—"

"Sorry," Akira interrupted. "I actually had a lot of questions about this whole arrangement. I mean, well…I think you probably know my parents aren't poor…but this whole move must have cost quite a lot. Who exactly was this person, and for what purpose did he pay you to be my guardian?"

His face got noticeably sterner. "Sorry, ain't going to tell you. It was part of the deal; your "benefactor," as we'll call it, didn't want you to know who he or she was. I can tell you at the very least that this person paid for the move fully."

"I see…"

"Not like it really matters now at this point. Follow me upstairs."

What greeted Akira was…well…

A fucking mess to put it lightly. He should have expected this, considering his room-to-be was initially an attic, but at the very least Sojiro could have gotten rid of the bags of trash and gas containers in the middle of the room.

"This is your room," Sojiro said, without the faintest hint of remorse.

Akira was standing back near the attic stairs; all he could think about was how much shit he had to sort through. He also thought about asking him what the hell was wrong with Sojiro. He had to take his glasses off constantly to clean them, though, since there was so much dust in the air.

Sojiro then turned to face him. "I'll at least give you sheets for your bed."

Akira couldn't help but give him the biggest look of disbelief.

Sojiro though caught on; and Akira caught on that he caught on, and consequently thought that perhaps he should keep those glasses on more often. The dust would have probably hidden his eyes.

"You look like you wanna say something," Sojiro said, with an even graver tone of a man starting to lose patience with the "intransigence of rebellious youth" as Akira's grandpa would say.

Akira was firming up his face a bit; he harnessed his inner mother once more as he decided directness was best in desperate situations like these.

"It's cluttered."

"And?"

"It's big and cluttered…AND I'm surprised that elderly couple didn't catch the haze of dust up here and asphyxiate."

Sojiro just responded with, "It's up to you to clean the rest," and couldn't help but smile smugly.

 _So,_  Akira thought. _I guess part of the deal is to be the servant on top of living here?_

Sojiro then continued with his speech. "You'll be alone at night, but don't do anything stupid. I'll throw you out if you cause any trouble. Got it?"

Akira nodded in agreement…though he wondered if all of this was from Sojiro was too much. Then again, he probably got the worst case bio from his parents so that he wouldn't get into any more trouble.

"I got the gist of your situation. You protected some woman from a man forcing himself on her, he got injured, then sued you. Right? That's what you get for sticking your nose in a matter between two adults. You did injure him, yeah?"

T _his wasn't the gist at all; did my parents even bother to explain?_  he wondered.

"…And now because you have a criminal record, you got expelled from your high school. The courts ordered you to transfer and move out here, which your parents also approved. In other words, they got rid of you being a pain in the ass."

Akira replied, still calm despite the verbal barrage he just dealt with.

"Well I mean if you put it that way, sure. But that "adult" matter you're referring to-"

"It's best you not talk about anything unnecessary. I am in the restaurant business you know."

_…Unbelievable._

"You'll be here until next spring. Cause any problems, and you'll be sent straight to juvie. We'll be going to Shujin tomorrow. We'll introduce ourselves properly there. There's rarely a place that'll accept someone like you, you know. What a waste of my Sunday…"

Well he was right about one thing, Akira thought; being accepted on his record was rare.

Sojiro pointed to the dented box in the middle of the room.

"Your 'luggage' arrived earlier; I left them over there. Sojiro then proceeded to leave. Akira, seeing no point in wearing this uniform, decided to dress in some normal clothes. Waiting in the box was a blazer, a beige long-sleeved v-neck, some blue jeans, and some leather shoes.

"I can make this work; such a shame about this dust though."

Akira then did a slow 360 around the place.

"Is this place really unsalvageable?... Nah."

Akira then decided to not torch the place and went to work making this place livable.

* * *

It was now borderline evening, and Makoto drudged back into her apartment. On the table was a note from Sae:

"At the office. More work to be had. Sorry. Don't worry about food; I'll be eating with a co-worker to discuss case details."

A check of the fridge showed Sae didn't touch the food she made for her in the morning.

"Well, I suppose I am hungry…" Makoto trailed off.

After finishing up eating, Makoto was back to today's agenda. Being Student Council President on the first day consisted of so many meetings on top of regular school activities.

First, the one about the student-teacher rally, next the one about training for the prestigious volleyball team, then planning around finances for the big school trip to Hawaii for the second years in September.

_Oh man, the trip; the amount of paperwork needed to file with the Customs office, the number of funding negotiations with faculty, student guidelines…_

_And Akira…._ she wondered if she was she wrong about him. The questions were in her mind:

Was he the coming of the apocalypse?

Did he have to show off so much his ability to analyze people?

Maybe a quick sit on the couch would help her calm down. A grunted sigh followed. Her thoughts drifted her back to her father's belongings. They reeked of mothballs like before. At the bottom of the box: his wallet, his brown leather wallet, his detective notebook, his analog watch, and his badge. The orange sky was bleeding into her room, and the dust hovering over the box began to glitter like cloudy diamonds. The sun drew Makoto to her father's police badge.

Kazuhito Nijima. Lieutenant, Shinjuku District. Tokyo Metropolitan Police.

A long stare at the copper badge somehow cleared her head. Like a firm, comforting hand on her shoulder while hunching over a textbook.

And then...that time flashed again in her mind. The snow was heavy that day...

Makoto had to put down the badge. Besides, a double shift of calculus and social psychology was calling. Dragging some rather heavy reference books out of the book, she proceeded to study in her room; she found the school textbooks to be lacking though, especially when her calculus book attempted to discuss Simpson's rule.

With her notebook on her side, she had her ballpoint pen ready. She promised to be the best Student Council President possible...and hopefully, reform that troublemaker student that she expected to be thrust into her lap.

The sun was now gone at this time. The city lights were turning on, flooding her dimly lit bedroom with a faint glow.

It was as if the city was lending a hand while Makoto was working.

* * *

It was getting dark back at LeBlanc. Akira didn't even notice the ragtag set of lights above his bed start to light up. Akira was surprised his lungs were still working after inhaling all that dust.

Sojiro then walked up to find Akira, visibly tired.

"What the heck? I heard you making all sorts of noise up here but I didn't think you were cleaning. Actually, this place doesn't look so half bad. Though it's natural you'd want to keep this place tidy. Why don't you go to bed tonight? You don't have anything better to be doing, right? I'm going to close up shop and get out here myself."

"Yeah sure; I don't need to go wash at a bathhouse after cleaning," Akira replied. "Or maybe a doctor to see if I didn't catch something up here."

Sojiro smiled.

A genuine smile, on top of it. "Smartass. And nice try, but no, no bathhouses. Use the shower in the back. Besides, you'll get sick from staying up more so than inhaling mothballs. So go to bed, you hear me? Good. I'm off."

Akira, after a rather cold shower, changed into his lounge clothes and got onto his couch-bed combo. He hadn't cleaned up the room fully; he still had a pile of things such as a planter, a ladder, and other things in a corner on a blue tarp. And there were more books and technical journals polluting the place; it was more than what he could handle in one day. They seemed interesting to him, if perhaps a tad dry and technical for his tastes. "Patent Office Regulations, Year 1982," "Proceedings on Cognitive Social Psychology." The works. He would have read them to pass the time, but Sojiro was right: he should sleep.

Outside, he could see miles and miles of concrete poking at the sky like guard towers. Watching everyone.

Especially him and every hair creeping on his arms.

A siren in the distance wailed into his room.

Akira's mind couldn't help but wander back to that moment. The one that got him here in the first place. Cries of the incident echoed in his mind. That same bastard with orange glasses popped into his mind:

"This ain't a show kid; get lost….What're you looking at? Get outta my face!"

His mind would have been lost entirely to rage if it wasn't for the bleep from his phone.

He stared down at his phone; once again, it was that damn app with the red-eye. It was starting to get weird, this whole app situation; he thought he deleted it already. He trashed it again. A thought came to his mind to call his mom. He has tried this many times since the incident, but her recorded voice always greeted him.

At least he should try to tell her he made it ok out of love, if not respect.

No response.

Everyone else he knew or cared about was probably asleep at this point. He wondered if he should leave it be.

30 minutes passed.

That siren in the distance was starting to get to him though.

His mind was racing:

_A year here huh? And one less family to be a part of._

_I couldn't leave that woman be._

_Or anyone in trouble._

_But tell that to the ones I've "saved" and hurt in the process…_

After a while staring at the roof, he went to his box and looked through more of his stuff. His dad at least remembered to put in all the necessities. Metal wires, printed circuit boards, plenty of scraps. Even the odd transformer.

He wondered at what madness he could come up with this stuff. But that would wait another time. He was exhausted.

"Guess I should wait," Akira said dejectedly as he collapsed into his bed.

He stared at the wooden support bars of the roof. They looked like gray, hardened, thick metal bars in the darkness.

His eyes were starting to get sleepy…

* * *

A moment later, Akira woke up in a locked cell, in rags that were supposed to pass off as prisoner's clothes. Old-style metal cuffs and chains kept his hands bound. The drone of emptiness crept into his ears again.

Drops of water falling into a polished, metal latrine…A metal sink with a leaky faucet…Chains above him rocking back and forth, clicking like metallic cicadas….the smell of clinical disinfectant….A heavy ball strapped to the chains of his ankles kept his radius of movement extremely limited.

He started to hyperventilate a little. His eyes were wide open now. Two little girls walked up to the cell door to greet him with mischievous smiles. They were twins; both blonde….with eye-patches labeled with the Roman numeral for five. One twin had her hair in a twin bun, the other in pigtails. Both wore these blue outfits, which were something out of the 17th century France section of his history textbooks. And both were next to each other, side-to-side, facing him. They were oriented as if someone split one person down the middle and put what came out on the dividing line.

And the strong velvet coloration of the cell and the background….

In the background was a man sitting in a velvet chair, presiding over a table seated in the middle of a circular arrangement of cells. A long nose complemented pointy ears, balding, and an otherworldly, toothy, frozen grin.

From the spaces of that man's large smile emanated the following words:

"Trickster. Welcome to my Velvet Room."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Probably am going to stick with my upload path outlined in the first one (FF, then AO3); it'll get me to try and proofread more.
> 
> Anyways, hope you guys enjoy. Constructive criticism is always appreciated.


	3. Into the Heart of Darkness

The amount of cell security was excessive, to say the least; everything, from the bars to the windows for giving inmates food, everything was barred with chains.

 _I mean, I am a juvenile delinquent_ , he thought,  _but this seems like a gross human rights violation._  He took comfort in knowing at least his cell was padded with soft, purple suede.

Still, Akira wasn't a huge fan of cells. He made this clear by shaking on his cell bars like some caged animal.

His pair of pint-sized twin guards (he labeled them Twin Buns and Pigtails for the time being) was not impressed by the noise their "inmate" was making.

Both girls continued to stand post but turned to meet him and his boorish noise-making.

"So you've come to, Inmate," Twin Buns responded to his right, proud and full of prepubescent insolence.

Her twin spoke up afterward in a more poised, elegant tone. "You are only experiencing this as a dream."

Twin Buns continued to disturb the peace with her loud screeching. "You're in the presence of our master. Stand up straight!"

"My back is straight, you whiny little bi…girl," Akira quipped. He was still talking to a little girl after all. A brat, but a little girl nonetheless.

Twin Buns took out a baton stick and slammed it with a terrifying amount of force. "Stand STRAIGHT!"

Akira reckoned he'd shut up for the time being.  _The amount of force from that small girl...a meter high girl no less._

His big-nosed prison warden kept his freakishly big smile and bloodshot, overinflated eyes on Akira. Leaning forward, with his stubby legs still crossed, he continued:

"Welcome. I am delighted to make your acquaintance. This place exists between dream and reality, mind and matter. It is a room that only those are bound by a 'contract' may enter. I am Igor, the master of this place. Remember it well." He signed his words with the rhythmic tap of his fingers, his glassy eyes never once resting to blink. "I summoned you to speak of important matters. It involves your life as well."

Igor's last line was concerning to Akira. Either way though...cages made him anxious.

"LET ME OUT," he yelled, once again pulling the bars towards him in vain.

Igor though was more concentrated on his surroundings, as if he too was out of place here.

"Still, this is surprising. The state of this room reflects the state of your own heart…to think a prison would appear as such. You truly are a prisoner of fate. In the near future, there is no mistake that ruin awaits you."

Akira could only spare exasperation at this point for this...puppet-looking creature.

"By ruin, I speak the end to everything. However, there is a means to oppose such a fate. You must be 'rehabilitated.' Rehabilitated towards freedom….that is your only means to avoid ruin…do you have the resolve to challenge the distortion of the world?"

Akira was still overwhelmed at this point. Ruin? Rehabilitation? This living doll should at least have explained more about what was going to create an apocalypse if it was that serious. But at this point, his gut was telling him to switch off his mind and go along.

"I'd rather avoid ruin," Akira said while swallowing his curiosity.

"Then allow me to observe the path of your rehabilitation."

It was the cue for the twins to do an about face towards Akira.

"Ahh, pardon me for not introducing the others. To your right is Caroline, and to your left is Justine."

Caroline, baton ready behind her, had to get her two cents in. "Hmph, try and struggle as hard as you like."

Justine, tucking an open, massive tome under her right armpit, followed up with:

"The duty of wardens is to protect inmates. We are also your collaborators…that is, if you remain obedient."

Igor continued with his introductory spiel:

"I shall explain the roles of these two at another occasion. Now then, it seems the night is waning…It is almost time. Take your time to slowly come to understand this place. We will surely meet again, eventually."

The sound of an alarm multiplied throughout the chamber.

"Times up!" chimed Caroline. "Now hurry up and go back to sleep!"

"You be quiet!" yelled Akira, ignoring the surprised look in Caroline's eye as he rushed to the bars. "We're not done here, Igor!"

It was useless though. Igor, and the room itself began to surrender itself to darkness.

* * *

4/10

Akira woke up, still in a daze.  _For a dream, that was quite a vivid one._

E _ither way, Sojiro did insist on properly introducing ourselves to the Shujin administration._  Akira knew better though it would be a lecture from them rather than a warm welcome.

Sojiro walked up the stairs. "Well looks like you're up." He sported today a white suit, white fedora, and khaki pants. He still had that dumb shirt on, and the whole ensemble he had made him look like he was trying too hard to bring the '80s back. Though he got the impression he hadn't left the shop ever since the '80s. "Well then, let's go introduce ourselves properly to the staff about your transfer. The school you're attending is in the Aoyama district. It'll cost you a bit to ride the train there, and the route transfers are a pain. I'll drive you there, but just for today. Let's go."

A walk a bit past Sojiro's house revealed that Sojiro's car at least wasn't stuck in the '80s like his clothes.

It was stuck in the '60s. He probably hasn't switched out the engine since then.

Looking at the buggy, Akira was reminded of the days when Japan was only known for producing cheap cars rather than examples of compact efficiency.

As Akira entered Sojiro's passenger seat, Sojiro couldn't help but say dejectedly:

"Sheesh…men aren't usually allowed in my passenger seat."

 _With what Sojiro is wearing,_  Akira thought, _I would be surprised if any woman would volunteer to be in his passenger seat._

Heading into the next tunnel, the pair found them now in the darkness.

* * *

Meanwhile, in another realm of darkness, there lied an empty subway tunnel of two antiparallel train tracks. One side of tracks twisted towards a soft blue light presiding over a set of decrepit graves. The graves themselves were mounted in front of an impenetrable wall of metal piping and tubes. With the help of a brisk wind, clumps of newspaper would pay their respects at the graves, and then depart back into the darkness. On the opposite rail, a subway train full of what were seemingly people carted itself to unknown places. It wasn't of this world, however; the carts that periodically passed glowed neon red, so that a train passing through was like a laser beam piercing the dark tunnels ahead. The cries of something otherworldly populated the dark abyss. Ones of anguish. Ones of anger. Ones of laughter. Either way, they blended into something horrific, and they complemented a thick, oppressive air.

But then, the bloodcurdling cries of a plainly dressed man running began to sound.

He was running away from something; maybe the cries of the beings chasing him. Much to his misfortune, he found himself in a dead end. A gunshot pierced the man's right knee. He fell readily into the first tombstone placed in front of him, crashing readily through it. Instead of blood, though, a black tar was slowly oozing from his knee, pooling onto the ground and evaporating into a pixelated wisp. The frantic screams of a woman running also followed. The dark responded with another gunshot, and a woman in business clothes fell so that she was just at the border of being visible to the man. The wounded man turned towards the woman, and her to him. She saw her oozing blood from her forehead, just covering her bright yellow cat's eyes.

A gunshot into her temple made quick work of her. By the time she laid face down on the ground, the man could only catch a brief glimpse of her right eye before a puddle covered it up. It was nearly out of her socket, next to a large exit wound.

A man then appeared from the darkness. Or, rather, someone with the appearance of a man, but shrouded in a black cloud that hugged its figure. A quick cackle came from this deadly figure as it was standing over the deceased woman. Her corpse, clothes and all, was now starting to melt into tar and evaporate.

"My my, you two made me run quite far. I hope he appreciates my dedication after this. And your friend here made me waste my last bullet."

The bleeding man could only say a few words between his gasps of terror.

"P-p-p-please…I just drive trains…"

"Which is why…." The figure walked up to where the broken tombstone was and grabbed the man by the throat.

"NO, PLEASE! DON'T KILL ME!"

"Kill you?" said the dark figure with a bit of laughter at the back of his throat. "Please. But first…"

A collapsible baton appeared in his free hand.

"For wasting more of my time by running…"

A whack at the man's nose produced a black spray that hit the adjacent graves. At the man's knee were shards of what was his nose. There was now a hole between his eyes, and the black ooze was now flowing steadily from his head. The "man" was still alive, but horribly disoriented. He was still gasping out of fright.

The man's tormentor then summoned black and red streaks that enveloped everything within a meter radius, so that the blue light setting the scene was swallowed whole.

Cries of agony could be heard through the black veil. Though not too long. They soon bled into the sirens of the train passing by.

* * *

Sojiro and Akira walked a block from where they parked to where Shujin Academy was. The gates blocking the entrance stairway were up. Fortunately, someone had left them unlocked for the pair.

Before they entered, though, Sojiro pulled Akira aside to sigh to himself and then to say something to him.

"Do me a favor and behave yourself, all right? Don't get me wrong—I don't care what happens to you. Just don't cause me any trouble."

Akira felt like they needed some more levity. "Geez, I thought you starting to get soft on me. I mean you did say men aren't usually allowed in your passenger seat."

"Don't get any bright ideas. I don't swing that way you weirdo. Just…let's go already."

The school was appropriately empty. Entering Shujin, though, both were greeted with a multitude of national championship trophies, primarily for volleyball. Before coming, Akira was told that Shujin was famous for its volleyball. It didn't matter to him though, as he wasn't the biggest fan of sports.

"Well, it's a shame that you're not the athletic type; the volleyball team here could straighten a punk out like you."

"What are you talking about?" Akira said defensively. "I am a lot more athletic than I look you know."

"Well at least you didn't deny you're a punk; perhaps you'll get somewhere eventually. Enough window gazing. The principal's office is the 3rd floor."

Entering the principal's office, Akira was correct in his suspicions; a lecture was waiting for him. In the room were the principal (with a double chin and too much fat around the waist) and a visibly annoyed lady in a yellow long-sleeved shirt and denim skirt. 30 minutes of speeches from both and quiet listening on Akira and Sojiro's part led to the following being established:

Cause any problems, and Akira Kurusu will be immediately expelled.

And to be doubly sure as Sojiro was signing the registration papers:

"To reiterate, just so we're clear, you will immediately be expelled if you cause any problems. Honestly, I hesitated on accepting someone like you, but there were some circumstances on our side…You might have done a variety of things in hiding in your hometown, but you will behave yourself here. If you are thrown out from our school, there will be no places for you to go. Keep that in mind."

Akira though kept in mind he had no place to go. That's why he was here.

The principal then motioned to the lady next to her. "This is the teacher in charge of your class."

The lady thus spoke, still visibly displeased. "I'm Sadayo Kawakami. Here's your student ID. Be sure to read the school rules. Any violations will send you straight to the guidance office. And, if by chance you cause any problems, I won't be able to protect you at all…that IS your promise, yes, Principal Kobayakawa?"

"He is responsible for all of his actions."

A point Akira was well aware of and didn't need a half-hour of speeches for.

Kawakami at his point wasn't even trying to hide her annoyance. "But really though, why me…? There should've been better candidates?"

Well, at least she was honest.

"It was a sudden transfer, and your class was the only one that had an opening," the principal replied.

It was at this point that Sojiro and Akira had about enough.

"If you're done explaining things, mind if we get going?" Sojiro interjected. "I got a store to get back to."

"Sakura-san, please keep a close eye on him," Kobayakawa replied. "Don't let him cause any trouble outside…"

"Well, I'll be sure to have a serious talk about the situation he's in."

Kawakami chimed in: "Come to the faculty office you arrive at school tomorrow. I'll show you to your classroom."

It was then Sojiro and Akira's cue to leave.

Sojiro waited until they got to the first floor before talking.

With his left hand on his neck and his right in his pockets, he remarked:

"They're treating you like some kinda nuisance….I guess that's what it means to have a criminal record. Turns out your past follows you wherever you go."

"You say like that's from experience," Akira commented.

Sojiro paused. "Then that's what it sounds like." He turned to meet Akira head on. "By the way, if you get expelled now, I won't hesitate to kick you out. Got it?"

"…I'll be careful, ok? You…shouldn't worry about me too much."

Sojiro softly grunted in acknowledgment. Then he trailed off. "School never changes, huh? Come on…we're going home."

After exiting Shujin and walking a for a block, though, a stampede of footsteps appeared behind them.

That stampede was a group of 10 cops running in his direction.

Was this Akira's nightmare? Hard to say, but it definitely sent a chill down Akira's spine. The memories of him being pulled away…

This was all for naught though. They soon rushed past the two of them, saying "Excuse us" as they sprinted off as fast as they could.

A parade of ambulances and police cars were coming behind him as well.

Akira could only guess there was an accident down in the direction they came from.

A news alert chimed on his phone: "Breaking news: train derailed at Shibuya. Estimated 80+ people injured. Death toll rising."

Flashes of red and blue twinkled and bled into the horizon ahead.


	4. Baptism By Fire, Part I

For a good 2 hours, it was just sirens on the street level. The SIU director, wearing a navy blue shirt and pacing back and forth in his office, had a panoramic view of the orchestra happening near the Shibuya hub.

Sae came at the right time, as she was witness to the latest news report on TV:

"...The engineer's life was not in danger despite his injuries. After interrogation, even he had no explanation for his high speed upon entering the station. No further comments have been paid by the engineer or the police."

Sae sadly knew they were back at the same point: A confused witness with no memory whatsoever, and people hurt from whatever said person did.

The only saving grace at this point was that Makoto was skilled enough in the kitchen to make a decent meal for herself.  _Hopefully, that'll get someone to take care of her...if I'm not around._

_Regardless, the sooner I solve this case, the better,_  she thought.

The director was still focused ahead on the TV, processing all of the information he received just now. "It's less of an operating accident and more of a crime of a company and the government. Site inspectors apparently reported all of that 6 months ago: the deterioration of the track and the ATC. Seems the ministry of transport and the ATC both turned a blind eye to the truth...there's no way they can hide now. This will go all the way to the top."

A long pause came from the director.

"So...you think that everything's linked, correct?" asked the aging, balding SIU director-in-glasses after hearing Sae's theory. "Well..."

She had seen the director's stony reaction long enough to know that he wasn't convinced.  _And after all that time too,_ she relented; she could actually be gathering evidence, looking up "that research" and not wasting time on useless interrogation. At this rate, she wouldn't be moving up the ladder anytime soon.

"Are you free? I haven't had a drink with you in a while," said the SIU investigator.

"Thank you, sir, but I have another meeting to attend. Please excuse me."

Sae found herself back in her cubicle. Many had already checked out for the rest of the day, so she was alone. Her head felt rather heavy right now, and her forehead was tight. She also felt flush as well.

She was starting to imagine all of the mangled bodies trapped in the rubble underground.  _Poor beat cops too._   _The EMTs probably had to cart their contorted carcasses, oozing with fresh blood out of every orifice, up to the ground._

_Contorted..like him._

She slowly searched through her desk. She found a small flask and took a swig out of it. Her mouth recognized how strong and cheap this stuff was.

She shut her eyes for a second to make them relax.

It didn't work. It was coming back. She was imaging him again, twisted up like a marionette on the ground of some narrow Shinjuku street.

She figured she needed a few more before walking out too.

She had Akechi Goro left to hear her out.  _He may be a smug, vainglorious, egotistical teen when he's not in front of the camera, but he still is a steadily rising detective. With more clout than me, sadly._

Akechi was waiting out by the lobby. "Did you ask for me; is it a case?" chimed Akechi at first sight of Sae.  _Carrying his metal suitcase of course; with what, who knows? s_ he pondered to herself.

"Not really; just wanted you to hear an opinion."

"Sure, though your judgment is often quite correct. Sushi this time?"

"...Conveyor belt only."

* * *

The train accident proved to be the worst. Being stuck in traffic with Sojiro for 2 hours gave him the worst migraine. This was perhaps the first time he honestly didn't want him around, as Sojiro kept on ranting out of frustration over standstill traffic.

Though there was one phrase that seemed to resonate a lot even as he pulled up to LeBlanc:

"What a troublesome kid I've taken in..."

_Troublesome_ , Akira pondered as he was twirling his phone on his middle finger.

Akira supposed his parents thought along the same lines after the incident, though the phrase for them would be "What a troublesome kid we've born."

_Sis was arguably worse though. Maybe she got away with more stuff because she was technically an adult._

_...Was one._

The buzzing of his phone jolted Akira out of his contemplative stupor. Which was good, since Sojiro wanted to say something, and it was better not to keep Sojiro waiting while being gridlocked.

"What a waste of my time," Sojiro groaned. "I didn't even get a chance to open the cafe today...well whatever. Follow me upstairs. I need to give you something."

_Hopefully not a tracking collar...hopefully._

Turned out it was the closest thing: a black-cover probation diary.

"You may be on probation, but there are no special limitations on what you can do. Besides following the law," Sojiro started to explain. "However, I'm obligated to report on you, which is why I'm having you record your daily activities."

"I hope 'no special limitations' means I can go to the bathhouse to get a decent bath...wait, don't tell me I have to record THAT in the journal," Akira replied jokingly.

"Wiseass; and the answer is still no on the bathhouses." Sojiro grimaced. He looked like he wanted to be equally snarky in response, but a call on Sojiro's cell seemed to lighten his mood; he was smiling warmly to himself as he put the receiver to his ear.

_Just who was on the other end,_  Akira thought. He was about to ask, but Sojiro didn't want to keep the other person on the end waiting, so he closed up shop.

"Don't mess up my store. If something goes missing, I'll hand you over right to the cops. Now, you have school tomorrow, so don't stay up too late." Sojiro put back on his white fedora and headed out.

A few minutes after though, the rotary public phone in the eating area rang.

Akira was surprised things like this actually worked still.

Picking up revealed it was Sojiro on the other end.

"You called the public line? You have a cell you know," Akira said, still bewildered.

"Sorry," Sojiro said, "I have a habit of not keeping guys saved on my phone."

"And you call me a weirdo."

"Just flip the sign outside to CLOSED. Though I don't imagine people would be coming here this late," Sojiro said.

_Or any other part of the day for the matter._ "Ahh darn, you know I was going to invite my lady friend over...seriously, though, I'll do that."

"I did say not to stay up too late. Plus, you should save your energy for school, punk. In more ways than one. Well, night."

Akira did what Sojiro asked and flip the sign to CLOSED. Outside of LeBlanc, a night breeze was starting to make the trees gently shed on the alleyway. Every store around LeBlanc was already closed off too. The second-hand store near here especially stood out, as the metal shuttering was shining under a nearby street light. Not wanting a cold on the first day of school, he went back in. The rotary phone chimed once again.

_What did Sojiro forget now?_ "Sojiro, I wasn't serious about bringing home a lady."

"Excuse me?" chimed an older lady. Her throat was a bit hoarse and tired-sounding. But it was a familiar voice.

_Mom. Shit._

Akira did message her the other day, but she didn't expect her to respond. On a public phone no less.

"Mother..."

Akira had to pause for a bit.  _Why on a public phone?_

"I was wondering when you were going to respond. Why are you not using your cell phone? You're always glued to that thing."

"...I lost it. I didn't know you called..." his mother said, groggily. "What time is it?"

Akira didn't feel like pressing this further. Intercoms sounded in mom's background.

"Around 9. You're usually up a bit later...long day?"

"...I guess. Though I thought for some reason it was 7. I just wanted to take a nap, but I guess I just had a problem sleeping. Or waking up, either or. Sorry...what did you say about bringing a woman home?"

"Sorry," Akira said. "I'm just giving Sojiro a hard time, it's nothing."

"Well, son, at least you're keeping your chipper attitude, I see." She seasoned those words with something bitter. "At this rate though, you should make fewer jokes and more marks on your exams. I may be away, but in two months, don't. Disawphoint...me again."

Akira was noticing the shaking of a pill bottle before what sounded like "disappoint." And Akira was sure that wasn't static from the rotary phone. He also noticed it wasn't a low, relaxed gulp, but a strained, reluctant one.

Akira decided to go down the rabbit hole with this observation.

"Is that vitamins you are swallowing?"

Akira could only think of that as his best euphemism. The clues he was hearing weren't leading to anything good; the drone of intercoms one would find in a hospital, the public phone, the pill bottle.

"...Your observational ability is real annoying, you know that..."

Akira could hear her voice breaking up on her end.

"I've got to go...don't be late for school...sorry."

His mom hung up her phone. After all of that, Akira couldn't fall asleep. He spent at least a whole hour sitting on his futon, letting the smell of old coffee and curry from downstairs settle with the musk of old books. He sat there, staring at and twirling around his phone before his finger started to cramp.

_Should I call him and tell him what I'm thinking?_

_10:30 PM. It's now or never. Either way...maybe I should call. Dad probably doesn't have the energy; he does work on Sundays still. He should be at home though, so why not?_

A press of his contacts. A press of "Dad."

One ring...still waiting.

Two rings...still waiting.  _Though to be fair, he answers at the last minute, considering he tends to misplace his flip-phone._

Three, four rings...still no response.

Five rings...

_Maybe I should try and go to-_

"Hello," an old, rough, deep voice chimed. It seemed looser than usual.

"How are you, dad?" asked Akira.

"Oh just fine...stressful day but...I feels better naw..."

It was as if the smell of cheap sake drifted into Akira's receiver.

"Yeah...you sure do sound like it."

"Are you being smart as usual?" Akira's dad blurted out. "Absoorbing dem fancy books youse read? Sheesh. Shame you're such a rascul."

_...Rascal?_

Akira after a while said, "You know...mom called over here."

His dad's eagerness receded. Silence began to settle in.

"Is that so, huh...she, uh..."

His dad decided to clear his throat; his words seemed to stick on the roof his mouth.

"She uh...she say...where she was...?"

_It's hard to say,_  Akira thought, w _hether he would actually listen to my theory. And in this state? Maybe...it's better to be quiet for now. Better to sure._ "Unfortunately no."

Another long pause. His voice was now a few decibels lower. "I see...well, just...uh...just go to bed. It's late you know. Just don't be late."

Akira went back to the attic and changed into some lounge clothes. He followed up by summarizing what had happened today in his diary, using the plainest, most clinical words he could summon from his vocabulary. The April air, noticeably humid, was heavier than usual, making the pages stick.

He also noticed that weird eye app pop up on his phone again.  _Phishing scam, perhaps?_   _I should scrub my phone_ _tomorrow_ , he thought.

He then continued to twirl his phone on his middle finger while laying in bed. With every twirl, more turmoil formed under a stoic face. With each twirl, a mental "What to do" flashing in front of him; and within each half-turn, the idea popping up that perhaps, by not telling Dad, he,  _perhaps,_ did an act of mercy on both of his parents.

Just like how, despite his wanting to know someone like Makoto better, he did her an act of mercy by distancing himself from her.

A buffer between her and his untethered, seething self.

A self he identified as the real him.

At last, right when he about to drift into the night, a voice called to him. An echo of a remote past. Female, but haughty, it said:

_"You better tear shit up tomorrow."_

* * *

4/11

He slept about as well as he could have. At the sound of his first alarm on his phone, he hastily put on his uniform and took his probation diary. He had to account for the confusion of navigating between subway lines, after all.

Walking down into the restaurant, Sojiro turned around, prepping his first batch of meaty curry he was surprised to see Akira.

"What, you're going to school?" Sojiro exclaimed. "Here, I'll feed you, just finish up before customers come in."

Sojiro placed a place of curry on the counter. Given how Sojiro acted last night, it was hard to tell whether his "friend" on the other phone helped lighten his mood, or he was naturally this mercurial. But either way...Akira appreciated it.

And Akira supposed he could use something in his system to wake him up after  _THAT_ talk.

Though...

"Curry?" Akira replied.

"Just sit down and eat it," Sojiro grumbled. "Don't give me that look."

A bite of curry though evaporated Akira's trepidation. The complex flavors with bold spiciness...Akira almost wished he didn't have to go to school.

But Sojiro reminded him firmly he had to go to school. "You're going to be late if you get lost, country boy. Now hurry up and flip the sign when you leave."

"Got it," Akira said. "Oh, and uh...thanks for the curry."

_Now_ , Akira felt bad LeBlanc wasn't getting the attention it deserved.

Getting to the station at Yongen wasn't too hard. Though that rumor about the Tokyo underground was true: there is no sitting. Or room. Just shoulder to shoulder, hugging one's bag like a baby. Akira started to get lost though at Shibuya station. What tripped him up was the accident; it closed down his original route, so he had to detour quite a lot and weave through more people he would have liked. Eventually, though, he got to where he was going after a bunch of trial and error and asking beat cops for directions. And his phone of course.

His main issue though was the weather. He had forgotten that Tokyo around this time ambushes people aplenty with flash showers. Something that was becoming very apparent as he was darting from awning to awning. Seeing other Shujin students run past him with umbrellas reminded him that he was the odd element in these parts.

In more ways than one.

At the very least, he would try his best not to get soaked before hitting school. He especially didn't want his hair wet, as his frizzy hair when wet made him look like a sad, wet dog. And have a similar smell to one, too.

He decided to take a break under the awning of a high-end boutique store.

_Reorient myself. Maybe take another look at his GPS just to be safe._  A look at the GPS though came with the reappearance of his favorite app.  _"Palace detected." What does that even mean? This malware is getting annoying,_  Akira thought.

The rain was starting to let up when someone in a white hoodie decided to hide under the awning with Akira. A woman, by the shape of her legs, which was well apparent with her red leggings. Her pale white hands began to pull back her white hoodie to reveal-

Blonde hair.

Something a country boy like Akira would have died to see. This wasn't a dyed blonde either, nor a dirty gray blonde like those twins in the dream. A natural blonde. A natural blonde in pigtails, with bouncy-looking pigtails and blue eyes staring out in the rain.

_Could she be a foreign-_

Akira couldn't complete that thought as the blonde woman used her sixth sense to notice him, stunned look and all. Oddly enough, she smiled at him and continued to look at the rain.  _Perhaps she was used to it; nice to her not to be rude,_  Akira thought. Though for some reason, his mind transitioned to that encounter with that Student Council President with the hairband (Prez, he nicknamed her for the time being). Something about her auburn hair, her auburn eyes, the warm smile despite their awkward first encounter...

_I'm starting to drift again. Hard to say whether out of mental exhaustion or boredom though._

_Maybe I should study in the library._ _I could use the stimulation..._

A couple of minutes later, a white sedan pulled up to them. On the driver's side was a guy with curly black hair, a dense-looking chin, and a blue tracksuit. Thirty-something based on appearance, but rather athletic in shape from the contours of his chest. He called out to the lady next to Akira for a ride. She seemed...reluctant for some reason. Something in him wanted to say something ridiculous like "boyfriend."  _Her dad or guardian, more likely_. He offered him a ride, but Akira felt like a walk would clear his head before school started.

_Just who was-_

"Takamaki!...Pervert teacher," someone uttered, thick with malice and slightly out of breath from running.

Akira turned to the left of him.  _Another blonde kid? Male, this time, and obviously with dyed hair. Wearing the Shujin uniform, but with a yellow shirt (typical of an actual punk) and rolled-up pants_. He was noticeably hunching forward, pockets in his hand, snarling his teeth.

"Pervert teacher?" Akira said out loud.

His phone chimed in. "Condition met."

The sound of Akira's phone attracted the attention of the faux blonde.

"In the car now. That was Kamoshida," Faux Blonde explained, his head slightly cocked to the side. "He does whatever the hell he wants. Who does he think he is, the king of his own castle? Don't you agree?"

Akira was horribly lost, to say the least.  _Best be direct,_  he thought to himself. "Uhh, castle? And for the record, I have no idea who you're talking about. This is my first day at Shujin, to be honest."

A murmur of "Conditions met" came from Akira's pocket.

This vulgar boy was starting to get the picture. "Oh, a transfer student huh? Second year, I'm gonna guess. No wonder you don't know him. Anyways, the rain's not too bad. Let's hurry up before we're too late."

* * *

As they were going, though, both boys were stuck with the sharpest twinge of pain in their head. They were running late though, so they just put it in the back of their minds for now. They would have to snake through quite some alleyways, but Shujin was within reach. A quarter hour later, the duo was about to make aturn of a corner into an alleyway that directly faced Shujin.

Akira though felt that the "mood" was different. Stepping through a puddle, for example, would just...simply be stepping through the puddle. A transparent splash, which on a cloudy day like today, would be a dull, gray splash. As he was closing in on Shujin, the splashes he would make on the ground would have a neon purple hue. In fact, every step he would make would produce a light purple hue as if he was walking on a thin, shallow, magenta pool.

Shujin Academy would be his biggest shocker, as the two found themselves in front of:

A goddamn castle.

One out of a fairy tale's nightmare, with towers being skyscrapers of gold yellow brick and mortar, and a moat entrance to boot. It was easy to say both of these boys were confused. Oddly though, Ryuji took this with a grain of salt and kept forward as if this was just some elaborate "prank." Akira's instinct told him to not go there at all cost.

But seeing how everywhere around him was just as purplish and nightmarish, he reckoned he didn't have a choice.

Plus, he was starting to get concerned for Faux Blonde in ever increasing ways.

"We went the right way though!" Faux Blonde said to Akira, pointing to the placard on the left side of the entrance.

_Indeed,_  Akira thought.  _This should be Shujin_. Faux Blonde continued on over the moat bridge. "Guess we'll just go ahead and ask ourselves. Though, this has to be one hell of a prank."

Inside the castle though proved it wasn't just a prank, despite Faux Blonde's insistence on it being one. Where there should have been the building's entrance hallway was instead a large entrance hall out of an old medieval castle, with marble pillars and a large, red-carpeted set of stairways in the middle.

"T-That's weird...Where's the school? N-n-no this has to be it!" Faux Blonde cried out.

Akira could only be stunned by all of this. About the castle, and about this boy's lack of a clue.

Akira was then startled by the clambering of armor. The suit of armor approaching them came with a sharp-looking sword, hardened shield, and a blue mask of sadness in place of a normal face.  _Just what the hell was going on,_  Akira thought.  _I have to stand ready, rely on my-_

_Wait, WHAT IS FAUX BLONDE DOING GOING TOWARDS IT!?_

"Geez, you freaked me out," Faux Blonde said with a sigh of relief.

_What seriously? How oblivious is this kid?_

"Man, your costume is impressive. Is that armor real? Cmon, say something."

"Hey, that armor DOES looks real, maybe you should-"

Akira was cut off by the appearance of another identical-looking knight. His third eye was on overdrive; he knew these things were surrounding him.

"Hey, we gotta run," Akira said. "This is real!"

"No shit!" Faux Blonde replied.

It was no use though. Four of these things closed in well enough so that they were boxed in.

"What the hel-"

Akira felt a thud and he was knocked out.

* * *

It was bordering three hours. Akira wasn't here at school at all. That was enough to set the teachers over the edge in varying degrees. Either way, the faculty office had already called Sojiro warning that Akira…Ren...whatever… was a no-show.

For Makoto though...her anger felt more personal, though why she was, she wasn't sure. It also didn't help that his record had already been leaked and now people were referring to him as "the infamous transfer student."

_But how though?! That stuff should have been kept within the faculty and me._

_And me...well..._

_I don't think I know anyone around here well enough._ Nor was she that much of a chatterbox to leak something that sensitive.

She then had a rather pitiful possibility: that these rumors were scaring Akira off. Though, she supposed she was now projecting her fears as a new student onto others.

Either way, the murmurs about the transfer student was an ill welcome for a transfer student. Despite the fact Akira was a delinquent, she knew he still had the right to not be harassed in the halls. And someone, in her eyes, had to be held accountable for this.

Even if...it had to be a teacher.  _Of course._  She didn't want to believe it, but that was her best route of investigation.

_Best route would have to be Kawakami..._

Lunchtime had rolled up. Makoto didn't have any obligations to eat with her friends. The closest thing to that was her fellow Student Council members, but she had other plans. At this point, Makoto stormed to the faculty office, where Kawakami usually ate.

"Kawakami-sensei!" Makoto said as she walked briskly into the room as Kawakami was just about to touch her onigiri.

"Nijima-san," Kawakami said, slightly surprised. "What are you doing here? You don't usually eat lunch in a faculty office. Or rather, no one does."

"Sensei, did you tell anyone here at school about the transfer student's past?", Makoto said with ever increasing stress.

"Oh god, not this kid again. Nijima-san, this boy may be causing me trouble considering he isn't here, but the only people I've talked to this about is faculty. Just Kamoshida and just the other teachers who would be switching out with me this year."

"Then tell me why EVERYONE knows about his past already? And why aren't you troubled about this?"

"Look," Kawakami said, getting ever more dejected. "I still don't understand why I was given Akira the first place. A male teacher should have been better off with him than me. And it's a shame too; his previous academic record is solid. But he has a record..." Her eyes squinted with newfound curiosity towards Makoto. "Besides, you're the Student Council President. Shouldn't you be more troubled by other things then just one troublesome kid?

"Of course not," Makoto said with her Student Council poker face.  _That's ridiculous,_  Makoto thought.  _Any frizzy-haired student deserved better than this. Particularly if there was something redeemable about him._ " I'm Student Council President," Makoto continued. I care for all of my students. Especially one this...infamous, for lack of better words. And I thought you of all people would understand that."

Makoto had perhaps touched the wrong nerve in Kawakami, as the blood was starting to rush from her face. "What are you sayin-"

"C'mon now, Nijima-san," interrupted the gym teacher.

Kamoshida, of course, Makoto thought. Already wanting to be the center of attention in any big conversation. Former Olympic medalist in volleyball, his prestige did bring Shujin renown and pride with countless championships for both the boys' team and girls' team. But Makoto had learned to tolerate him for now. Particularly for the sake of the upcoming rally.

"A past stellar academic record or not, I still don't understand why we let him here," Kamoshida continued, now with his nose slightly up in the air.

"The principal said it would be good for the school's reputation if they took in troubled kids and potentially reform them," Kawakami said, with her head down in part remembrance, part exhaustion. The exhaustion part was still catching Makoto's concern, but she would probably have to probe into that another day.

"I've would have thought that my volleyball team contributed more than enough for the school's reputation."

He turned his attention to both of them, much to Makoto's distaste. "Just be careful around him ok?" putting on the most arrogant of smiles while doing so. "If he causes any trouble, I'll kick him out immediately. Well, I gotta head back to practice. Lot of eyes on me to win the upcoming tournament! Got to make up for the track team debacle..."

"Yeah, I suppose you're right," Kawakami replied. "I'll let you be then."

As Kamoshida trailed off, the words "arrogant, despicable asshole" echoed in Makoto's mind.

"Perhaps you should head off too; you haven't eaten yet, and class is going to resume in 10 minutes..." Kawakami continued, now addressing Makoto. She then talked to herself out loud: "I almost now wish he didn't go to this school at all. All this stress this boy is causing me..."

Makoto started to walk off. Though, for some reason, her judgment subsided. She turned her head slightly in the direction of Kawakami to say something, fists clenched enough to push out all signs of color from them.

"What happened to you, Kawakami-sensei?

The sunlight streaming through the window blinds of the room had colored Makoto's eyes to be blood-red. And they stared intensely at Kawakami, searching for some spark left in her. She turned back and headed out of the room, not finding any.

Kawakami had heard it all. And the only thing she could say under her breath: "I don't know." She was starting to sniff a little while eating her onigiri.

As Makoto re-entered the hallway, a first year was walking past. He was wearing the typical Shujin turtleneck and pants, but not the jacket, and was holding a volleyball in his hand heading towards the gymnasium. He was trying to hide it from everyone passing him, but it wasn't like anyone was trying to stare at him; his face was black and blue, swollen. Makoto was surprised he could see out of his left eye.

She didn't want to believe those rumors...but she might be running into something worse than an absentee fluffy-haired transfer student. On top of other things...

* * *

Akira woke up, still with Faux Blonde but now in the dingiest, darkest cell they could imagine. Only a meager torch in a remote corner to light up the place, and a mix of barrels and wall chains for "atmosphere."

Faux Blonde, now on board with the shit the both of them were in, started to get concerned.

"So, this is no dream, huh?" he chimed in. "Hey, are you alright?" Akira nodded. Faux Blonde began to shake the bars in a useless attempt to get out. His energy to shake bars though drained as the sound of someone in pain came from outside.

It sounded close.

It was by that point they were scrambling to find for anything to use, anywhere to escape from.

Footsteps were inching closer to their cell.

_Under the wooden box trying to pass itself off as a bed? No, just more bricks. Barrels? Nothing..._

Too late. Another one of those armored guards came to their cell door. "Be glad that your punishment had been decided upon already. For the crime of unlawful entry...you will be sentenced to death."

A familiar voice followed after. "After all, no one is allowed to do what they please in my castle. And to think it wasn't a petty thief, but you, Sakamoto."

Someone, or something, that looked like that "pervert teacher," but in a red, regal robe, a small crown, and...slippers  _(?!)_ , was now talking to them.

"Kamoshida!" Faux Blonde screamed out. "This isn't funny, asshole!"

"And now you insult me? Another death sentence for you."

Three guards entered the cell, and now the duo was split to opposite corners of the room. Like a scared animal, Sakamoto rammed the middle guard, knocking him to the ground.

"Come on, man, I ain't down for this shit. Let's get out here," motioning to Akira. One of the other guards though took the wind out of Sakamoto before he could make good on that promise. Kamoshida-in-robes was already in the cell and proceeded to hammer Sakamoto. After Sakamoto fell to the ground, the two remaining guards hoisted him up for Kamoshida-in-robes to continue hitting him in the torso. After a while, Kamoshida-in-robes was bored and jack-hammered Sakamoto the ground.

Seeing Sakamoto in pain...

Akira pondered what to do next. The world for him slowed down enough to let him think.

He couldn't salvage anything from his parents. Dad? No, what good would knowing how to fix a car do? Mom? I suppose, but for all Akira knew, their representations weren't willing to guide him.

Cmon, Akira screamed inside;  _DIG DEEPER._

At one time, uncle had said to calm the passions of one heart to enlighten oneself. Akira remembered to take a breath.

Then the echoes of his sister were coming. He could practically see her in the cell, tracksuit and all, yelling at him to break this asshole's nose and save this dude.  _She herself probably would shoot this dude._

"Please," Sakamoto grunted, overcoming his pain for a few seconds. "Get...out of here."

"What, are you going run?" said Kamoshida-in-robes, turning his attention to Akira. "What a heartless friend you are."

"He...isn't a friend," said Sakamoto. He turned his attention to Akira again. "Cmon! hurry up and GO!"

Akira's mind was swamped. Mom and dad now chimed in but were saying to go and not get yourself killed. Getting killed, 'Dad' thought, would put them in a worse situation than they'd ever had been in. And Mom...who knows how she would react. Sis would be on the verge of angry tears, yelling at the top of her teenage lungs to stop being a coward and save Sakamoto. His uncle...god knows what uncle would have done. Uncle was no hermit, but he was perhaps too cautious for his own good.

The voices were starting to turn into the loudest noise Akira has heard in a while.

**_CowardrunwhyareyousavinghimTHEYMEANBUSINESSgetoutofTHEREcautiondonttreadintoheavyWATERSAVEHIMSAVEHIMSAVEHIMSAVEHI-_ **

_Screw it._

It was at this time Kamoshida-in-robes was starting to notice the vicious scowl on Akira's face.

Akira was a bit out of shape between juvie and now. But Akira managed to kick the back of one of the guards and push the guard down to the ground. Next was that smug bastard Kamoshida. Kamoshida was startled and about to throw a punch at Akira.

Akira suddenly found his left arm outreached to meet Kamoshida's right hand. His dad was useful for something after all.

Akira's next move was something made up on the spot, partially inspired by watching too many fighting movies. He noticed his opponent was wearing only a pink speedo under his robe. Akira seized the day, and well...

Kicked him in the balls. Kamoshida went down pretty readily. Akira at this point felt obligated to grab this dick by his stupid frizzy curly hair and knee him in the face. All the meanwhile Sakamoto had his mouth gaping slightly.

The remaining guards though seized Akira readily and slammed him to the wall. Their arms were mechanical vises pressed on Akira's arms, ever increasing in pressure.

"You...sacrilegious FUCKER!" Kamoshida yelled in agony, noticeably oozing a black tar substance from his mouth and nose. "DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM? FINE! Have it your way! Execute the both of them. Sakamoto first, then this PEASANT."

Akira was helpless as he watched Sakamoto be tossed to the other end of the room. Another guard was drawing his sword, preparing to thrust.

A familiar voice called within Akira. A young-sounding girl.

"You are held captive. A prisoner of fate to a future that has been sealed in advance. This is truly an unjust game. Your chances of winning are almost none…But if my voice is reaching you, there may yet be a possibility open to you…"

A new voice followed. A darker voice. One of a demon.

"What's the matter...are you simply going to watch? Are you forsaking him to save yourself? Death awaits him if you do nothing. Was your previous decision a mistake?"

His mind flashed to that drunk prick back at his hometown. That woman, crying for help.

_Of_  cours _e it wasn't a mistake,_  he told himself.

His demon friend heard him loud and clearly, while Sakamoto was being dragged up the opposite wall by the neck.

"Very well, I have heeded your resolve."

An intense burning sensation was starting to radiate through Akira's body.

"Vow to me," his demon companion called. "I am thou, thou art I. Thou who art willing to perform all sacrilegious acts for thine own justice!"

Akira was starting to sweat profusely.

"Call upon my name...and release thy rage!"

Akira was now yelling at Kamoshida. "I will stop you...NO MATTER...WHAT!"

He had Kamoshida's attention. "Fine," Kamoshida replied. "You want to die so much? Have it your way." The guard hovering over Sakamoto drew its blade towards Akira.

"Show the strength of thy will to ascertain all on thine own, though thou be chained to Hell itself!" cried this inner voice of his.

The guard to the left of Akira punched him in the face so that his glasses fell. There was no holding back anymore.

The words "Arsene" flowed out of Akira's mouth.

Instantly, a gust pushed back everyone surrounding him, including Kamoshida. A masquerade mask was now fused onto Akira's eyes.

_"Well, little bro,"_  said another voice in Akira's mind.  _"Well, what are you waiting for?"_

A devilish grin appeared on Akira's face; after all, he couldn't say no to her.

With superhuman strength, Akira tore off the mask and the skin under it to reveal a bloody mess around his orbits. And with it, a blue fire with a reddish grin began to swallow him. The fire started to drift upwards, revealing Akira, now with a long, black overcoat and black vest. Chains were popping out of his back to announce a winged devil in red gentleman's garb, hosting sharp, craggy fingers. From this winged demon, a cackling laugh began to spread from the room through all of the castle. Every guard, every prisoner was now at attention. At last, Akira had unlocked the power within to escape.

And take vengeance.

"Hmm," a voice in another cell said. "Perhaps I found my way out. I just hope my guess is right."


	5. Baptism By Fire, Part II

Some of Kamoshida's knights were still laying on the ground, disoriented like their master. Some though had gotten up and began to transform into a sludge, only to reform into jack-o-lanterns in witches' clothing.

 _"Hee-ho!"_  the Jack-o-Lantern cried out enthusiastically. Arsène, though, stopped this Jack-o-Lantern on the next "Hee-ho" by promptly digging his sharp claws into the Jack-o-Lantern's face. A once cheerful talking pumpkin was now crying in fear and pain like a kid getting his vaccinations. Arsène then gave the Jack-o-Lantern a dosage of cell wall and dug its claws even further. Another Jack-o-Lantern appeared behind Arsène, appearing identical to the one being pummeled into the craggy prison wall. It pulled out a small lantern from under its cloak, and from it shot a fireball straight at Arsène. The fireball hit behind Arsène's shoulder.

Akira felt an intense burning sensation creep into his shoulder as this occurred. Arsène, though, cackled again. As this was happening, Akira, for some reason, was drawn to his back. Under his new overcoat was a large 12-inch knife tucked into a secret pocket. Feeling as though he should return the favor, Akira cracked a devilish smile and charged at the other Jack-o-Lantern.

He was going to lunge at the thing, but launching into the air felt easier, like he was floating on air. Another fireball came at Akira, but this time, he dodged it by darting to his right. Now on the Lantern's left flank, he lunged forward, cutting through the Jack-o-Lantern's stub of a neck and leveraging it upward. It turned into a black mist shortly thereafter.

After 5 seconds of Arsène slamming his Jack-o-Lantern into the wall, the demon, now unrecognizable, whimpered out,  _"Hee...hoooo"_  and faded into a mist.

Meanwhile, Sakamoto, still awake despite being pummeled by Kamoshida's guard, was watching with a slack jaw. This transfer student he just met: he didn't seem at all like the violent or athletic type. And yet he was weaving through these monsters as if he were in a circus act. At this point, Sakamoto was wondering whether his mind or his bladder would go first.

Arsène was continuing his rampage on the guards by grabbing one, in each hand, by their blue masks and dragging them outside the cell. He then tossed both of them, one into the river running inside the dungeon, and the other at a seemingly empty cell down the way. Akira noticed that one of Arsène's victims dropped a set of keys on the ground. Akira grabbed them quickly and threw them over to Sakamoto.

"Catch," Akira quipped.

Sakamoto, still dazed, caught the keys with his forehead.

"Ow, what the hell!" Sakamoto cried out.

"The cell keys!?"

"Oh right," Sakamoto said, finally catching up to speed. Sakamoto got up off the ground, following Akira, glasses in hand, out of the cell. Sakamoto locked the door behind them with Kamoshida, still inside and still bloodied from nose to torso. Seeing how trapped he was, he rushed to the bars like a dog in a cage lashing out.

"Goddamn thieves! When my guards find you-"

Sakamoto immediately interrupted him with a punch to his already bruised nose. Kamoshida fell back to the floor once more, growling in agony.

"That was for the punches to the gut, you son of a bitch! And wear some normal clothes, you effin' sicko!" Sakamoto then turned back to Akira, still host to his overcoat-and-red-glove combo. As he did, though, his ensemble burst in flames, only to reveal him dressed in his school uniform once more. At the same time, Akira's winged friend disappeared in flames too.

"What the hell, man?" Sakamoto commented. "You're really weird, you know that?"

"I dunno about that," Akira responded as he put on his see-through glasses. "But I have to say, I kind of missed that outfit I had on. Wasn't too shabby on me."

"Dude! This is not the time to be cracking jokes right now!" Sakamoto said panickily.

"If you realized the type of trouble we're in, which I think you do, given your expression," Akira said in a more solemn tone, "then you'd want to try to laugh a bit too."

"Hey!" A voice called down in the corner of the walkway they were at. "What kind of amateur lets his Persona go berserk like that! I'll let you know I could have been crushed if the soldiers it threw crashed through here!"

"What the hell was that?" Sakamoto said, expecting anything to happen at this point. Akira was about to say something, but he was starting to hear metallic footsteps echo across the river from the hallway leading to god knows where.

"More guards; hide!" Akira then began to drag Sakamoto behind some boxes down the way. Just as Akira heard, two more guards with swords drawn began to show up on the opposite face of the river. They weren't that diligent, as they went back the way they came after only walking around a few minutes. That, and they didn't hear Sakamoto's loud, exasperated panting.

The same voice they heard earlier was now saying, "Hey! Blondie! Frizzy hair! Behind you!" though in whispers. Turning around, Akira saw traces of Arsène's work: black sludge painted all over the prison bars. Past that, though, was a small, rounded black cat with white coloration around its mouth and paws. It also was wearing a yellow bandanna while walking on its hind legs like a human. Like a cat, it pawed out towards them like a cat, begging for something. "You're not soldiers, right! Get me out of here! Use your Persona again and bust me out, whoever summoned it!"

"Persona?" Akira said out loud, wondering if he...she...it meant Arsène.

"Wait, never mind, you have the key to this cell on that key ring! Just get me out!" The strange creature was pawing in the direction of Akira's keys, which were jingling in his coat pockets.

"Why should we even trust you?" Sakamoto said, now sounding outraged. "For all we know, you stupid cat, you look like one of the monsters that tried to skewer us!"

"HEY!" The strange creature cried out. "I am Morgana, and I AM NOT A CAT. Say that again, and I'll make you regret it! Besides that, how can I be an enemy if I'm locked up, you moron?"

Sakamoto groaned and decided to pull out his phone. "No service? Seriously? GAH, I wish I could just call someone to get out of here!"

"Hey!" Morgana yelled, calling the two back towards the cell. "You want to know where the exit is? Let me out, and I'll take you there. You don't want to get caught and executed, right?"

Akira was still wary. And that self-assured tone from the cat didn't help either. Still, Ryuji said there was no service here to contact for help. Plus, he'd doubt in someplace supernatural, they could just pull out a navigation app and direct themselves out of here.

"You better not be lying," Akira replied, his voice now lower and gruffer than before.

"I'm not lying! It's the truth," Strange Creature replied with equal solemnity.

"This thing sounds like all talk..." Sakamoto said, cocking his head to the side while still staring at the cat-like creature.

The cat didn't take kindly to his stubbornness. "If you guys think you can get out on your own, then be my guest!" the cat-thing grunted. "Besides, if you don't hurry, the guards will come back and find you at some point and catch you."

Mouthy Sakamoto was now waiting to form his words. Akira, feeling that they shouldn't dawdle about any longer here, glared at his eyes pleadingly.

"Urgh...fine," Sakamoto said, conceding to Akira's silent request. Using the key ring, Sakamoto let Morgana out. Morgana in return greeted both of them with a smile of smug self-satisfaction.

"Ahh," Morgana said, now more relaxed. "Freedom tastes so great."

More metallic footsteps were coming.

"Follow me!" Morgana then said. All three turned attention to a hole in the base of the wall. It was tight and dusty, but at least it could fit all three of them in a line. They proceeded to crawl into it, and at the end waiting for them was a tower staircase. One out of a dark fairy tale it seems, with medieval-style church glass windows casting a rainbow of colors on the walls. It didn't matter, though, as all three were more eager to get out of here rather than sightsee. After a few minutes of running, they reached a door. By that point, Sakamoto was hunched forward over the ground.

"Are...we...there...yet?"

"Not yet!" Morgana replied. "It should be past this door and a few corridors."

On the other side of the door was another dungeon, minus the little river flowing through it. Though instead, cages were hanging on the ceiling...

_...With people in it?_

"What the..." Akira said out loud.

"No time! We got to keep moving down this corridor! Escape isn't too far!" Morgana quipped.

Down the corridor and another was another river with a bridge laid down. Their escape was cut short, however, as another guard came from around the corner. This time, they couldn't hide, and Sakamoto, charging like a bat-out-of-hell, slipped backward trying to turn himself around.

"Ahh shit, it's them!" screamed Sakamoto; by this point, he seemed deathly afraid of these guards, and for a good reason. The guard began to transform into a pair of creatures: another Jack-o-Lantern and a new type of monster: a devilish imp with wings, floating above the ground.

"Tch, amateur; stay still!" Morgana scoffed, as he jumped off Ryuji's head and in front of the group. Akira then was engulfed briefly in blue flames and came out in his garb, as if he were a magician appearing back onto his stage for an encore. Morgana then pointed back at Akira.

"Hey, you! You can fight, right? Help me out here. These Shadows are on intercept patterns. They're here to kill."

Akira probably shouldn't have been smiling given the gravity of their situation. But something about this situation prompted him to feel nostalgic about a certain someone, and how she would consider situations like this.

"I'd be happy to oblige," Akira said, pulling his sharp new gift out from his undercoat.

"Good. Now come...Zorro!" After Zorro, a jet of blue energy began to shoot out of Morgana, blinding the room briefly with light. After it dissipated, Akira could see a being hovering over Morgana, a man clad in a black suit with a comically huge set of arms and chest that contrasted with its small, straight legs. In its right hand was a rapier, and by the manner it was handling it and twirling it, Zorro meant business. With a touch of flair added.

_Is this what Morgana meant by Persona?_

"Hmph, we'll promptly shut them up!" Morgana said, crossing his arms. Zorro then twirled its rapier forward, not to attack, but summon a green colored wind to envelop the Jack-o-Lantern. The gust knocked the creature on to the ground, where the wind tore it apart like thinly cut paper. "That is how you fight; some of these Shadows have natural weaknesses; exploit them to save yourselves the hassle!" Zorro then cast more wind on the devilish imp, with the wind having only ripping small holes in its wings. Still, it was floating readily over the ground, hosting a wide ear-to-ear grin. It was short-lived though, as Akira then, upon ripping off his mask, summoned Arsène to swallow the imp in a thick red-and-black darkness. And just like a rabbit in a hat, it was gone.

With the coast clear, Morgana decided to relax next to a pile of boxes. "Not bad; your Persona is pretty powerful," punctuating his statement with a grin.

"Y'mean the thing that comes out of both of you, all dramatic-like?" Sakamoto interrupted.

Morgana nodded his head. "You saw how Frizzy Hair here ripped off his mask when he summoned it right? Well, everyone wears a mask deep down in their heart, so once they remove it..."

Before Morgana could explain even further, Akira burst into flames and turned back to normal once more.

"Again?" Ryuji wondered.

"Looks like you don't have full control over your power yet, Frizzy Hair. The transformation shouldn't disappear like that. After all..."

"Urgh, all this stuff hurts. School sounds better than this crap!" Sakamoto yelled, hitting the front of his head.

"Would you shut up and listen for once, Blondie?!" Morgana yelled.

Sakamoto took a step forward towards the cat. "Hey, stop calling me Blondie. And the name's Ryuji. Ryuji Saka-"

"I don't have time for this!" Morgana yelled. "Just follow me, the exit's near."

Another set of dungeons and a wooden, rotting drawbridge were down the line of approach. Approaching the bridge, however, Ryuji had to stop for something. He walked to a cell, which held a man in some type of red athletic uniform with the number 8 on his back in white lettering.

"I've felt like I've seen that uniform somewhere..." Ryuji commented. His face scrunched up. "Dammit! I'm too flustered to remember a thing!"

"We don't have time to worry about other people!" Morgana yelped. "We need to keep moving. Besides, he-"

"Too late!" Akira said. As the drawbridge went down, another guard greeted them, only to turn into a swarm of pixie-like creatures, all clad in skin-tight blue clothes and with red hair.

Morgana despite the swarm turned his direction angrily to Ryuji. "You should have listened to-"; Morgana was then interrupted by a Pixie rushing at him, knocking its head into his, prompting a "NEOW" from him.

"Hey! Like this is my fau-" Ryuji was also knocked back as well by a Pixie, knocking himself into some barrels behind him.

By this time, Akira was bracing himself against a set of nearby boxes, his knife already drawn. Morgana and Ryuji, despite being a little dazed, dashed to Akira's location. A few of the Pixies were swarming about them, but the majority formed a wall between the drawbridge and their one chance at escape.

"Well," Akira said, "This looks like a job for us again, Morgana. Blondie, stay close. I can only slash through so many with my knife AND cover you."

"Dude, YOU TOO? C'mon! You should treat me better, I was going to sacrifice myself so you could escape!" Ryuji replied while jamming his fingers into his hair.

"Don't listen to Blondie over there. Either way, I'm glad you stick to your guns," Morgana then said with growing enthusiasm.

Akira and Morgana then nodded to each other; in times like these, their silence said all that was needed.

"Guys, I already said I'm Ryu-Eff it!"

Morgana summoned Zorro once more to produce a large gust of wind in front of them. The wall of Pixies ahead of them were blown all over the place, mostly down into the river.

"There's our opening! Let's go!" Morgana yelled.

"My legs can only take so much!" Ryuji said while launching himself off his back right leg. Despite his limp-looking leg, Ryuji took off, keeping pace with Morgana and Akira. A few pixies had reoriented themselves back in front of them, about to engage them in a double column formation. Morgana, however, pulled out a scimitar in his right paw, leaping upwards to slice the first Pixie on their right with a lateral slash.

With the first Pixie down, Morgan proceeded with a downward slash, taking out the next Pixie in front of him. Not wanting to be outdone, Akira, now holding his blade with its sharp end inward, lunged forward. Akira then, horizontal slash after horizontal slash, cut each Pixie in front of him in half.

Then, there were two left in line, with the one on the right being banged up significantly. Akira decided to go all the way with a long dash-and-slash from left to right, his hilt ready to stab.

The Pixie to the left, seeing Akira on its flank, curled into a ball and summoned a weird energy that drifted to the other Pixie.

Akira, looking straight ahead, seemed to have caught both of the remaining Pixies as his blade came to his side readily as if he cut through them like air.

Ryuji, behind Akira once more, tapped on Akira's shoulder. "Uhh, dude." Ryuji turned pointed towards where Akira's blade was. Akira then turned to find a Pixie, still alive, stuck to it.

 ** _"Urgh...this sucks. Can we just end this already?"_** the Pixie said, in the most unexpectedly bored tone.

Akira stared in bewilderment. "How the hell are you surviving being impaled right now?! I just cut up your friends with ease!"

_"Do I have to explain it to you? Nevermind...just make it quick."_

Morgana then out of nowhere slashed through its midline, leaving a mist hovering above Akira's blade.

"Guess I sent her down the way...to Hell," Morgana said with a self-satisfied smile on his face.

"Dude...that was the worst line I've heard," Ryuji said.

"Shut up Blondie," Morgana replied curtly. "Let's go already!"

* * *

The trio, after running down the hall ahead, found themselves in the entrance hall Ryuji and Akira found themselves in at the beginning. Morgana then directed them to a nearby room; a study or small library perhaps, given the assorted armchairs and bookshelves.

"D'you trick us you jerk? There are no windows here to escape from!" Ryuji said.

"Don't jump to conclusions, you amateur," Morgana said, shaking his head as he pointed to a grating above one of the bookshelves.

"We're getting out through a ventilation shaft?" Akira said, now curious.

"I'm glad someone here understands the basics," Morgana replied.

"Ohh...I get it. Lemme take a crack at it." Ryuji then jumped onto the top of the bookshelf and pulled on the grating, the cool air rushing past him. Within seconds, the grate fell off the top on the ground, along with him.

"Oww...I hope no one heard that. Seriously though, I can't believe we're getting out!"

"Celebrate when YOU guys get out of here," Morgana replied.

"Wait," Akira then said, his hands now back in his resting position in his pockets. "Are you staying here, after all that?"

Morgana nodded. "There something that I still have to do. This is where we part on our separate ways."

Akira nodded in agreement as he climbed up to the newly created opening with Ryuji. Before entering the shaft, Akira turned back to Morgana, his glasses slightly down. "Thanks again, Morgana; don't get caught again."

"Such good manners," Morgana said, smug as ever. "Same goes for you. Be careful on your way out."

As they parted, Morgana, still in the room, said to himself:

"Those two seem useful; especially the frizzy-haired one if my judgment's right..."

* * *

Going back out where they came and out towards the entrance, Akira and Ryuji found themselves in what seemed like the real world;  _at least, this world,_  Akira thought,  _has less of a headache-inducing purple, and_   _normal-looking people walking by._

An automated voice from Akira's phone then greeted them:

"You have returned to the real world. Welcome back."

"...Did we actually escape?" Ryuji said, bending forward out of exhaustion while doing so.

"Depends," Akira said, smiling while wiping his glasses. "Are the cats talking?"

"Dude...I dunno what to think anymore. The castle...the cat...Kamoshida...that speedo...Dude, what the hell?"

Two beat cops decided to walk forward to talk to them.

"Ditching class, I see?" one of them said.  _In typical, haughty, authoritarian tone_ , Akira observed.

"No, we were escaping from a castle just now!" Ryuji said, not with the slightest bit of self-awareness.

In turn, the police officers just stared at each other, each wondering what the hell he just heard.

"Ok, kid," the other police officer said. "Show me your bag for any drugs."

Akira couldn't help but imagine yelling violently in Ryuji's face. "You fucking amateur," Akira said to himself groaned under his breath.

Meanwhile, Ryuji continued his argument with the cops, insisting on the castle while the cops insisted that they saw nothing out of the ordinary.

"Man, now I'M saying 'amateur' now," Akira said, groaning once more to himself.

There was only one thing to do in situations like these.

"Officers," Akira said as he put his glasses on. "I'll be going now."

"Wait, that's not what I wanted you to say, of all things! Dude, are you for real, say something! You were there!" Ryuji said.

Akira kept on walking towards the direction of Shujin.

"...Fine, I'll get going!"

As the officers said, Shujin appeared normal when they finally arrived.

Ryuji stood there, confused once more. "I'm sure we came the same way. What the hell is going on?"

* * *

By this point, Makoto was in her homeroom on the first floor, waiting patiently for her math teacher to arrive. She was currently occupied with reviewing old notes and writing new ones for the upcoming textbook chapter. She had to stay one step ahead after all.

And considering how expensive ballpoint pens like the one she's using can be...she reckoned boredom should produce results, not doodles.

Though today, the general crowd wasn't helping.

_"Hey did you hear about the transfer student coming?"_

_"Assault? Really?"_

_"I've heard he cut up the last person. With a knife no less, based on the fact there was blood!"_

_"Dude where you hear that?!_

_"Is Shujin going to be safe with him around? I don't want to be stabbed!"_

That, and:

_"I've heard Kamoshida can be rough, but still he looks so cool whenever he spikes!"_

_"Kamoshida's so boss! He's definitely going to take home another trophy for us this year!"_

Speaking of rough:

Behind her. A third year. Swollen arms. Swollen legs with visible bruising. It was quite similar to the first year she saw. This was getting to be quite troub-

_"I'm sure we came the same way. What the hell is going on?"_

_That rather boorish voice came outside._ A quick turn to her left towards the stairs outside revealed a blonde Shujin-looking student hunched over with his hands in his pockets, eyes agape as if he didn't recognize the school for a minute.

And next to him was... _Kurusu-_ kun _?!_

The talk outside continued:

_"That what I want to know. We got a call from the police about a delinquent blonde spouting nonsense. I expected it to be you, Sakamoto, but this time you're not alone."_

_Looks like one of the counselors was going to wait for them. What, did the blonde expect NOT to be reported by the police for delinquency?_

_"Damn cop snitched out on us after all!"_

Her eyes dimmed for a minute.  _Nevermind...he DID take them on their word_. _Though...is Kurusu-_ kun _really associating himself with people like him?_

_If so that would be unfortunate...What did Sis say about these type of situations? "Never trust a kind face, but a kind act."_

_I suppose it applies here..._

The interrogation outside continued:

_"Where were you roaming all this time?"_

The Blonde replied, "Uhh...a ca- a castle?"

The urge to facepalm was stronger than ever before... _What sort of lame, dishonest excuse was that?_

_"What was that about a castle?"_

Her eyelid twitched.  _Nails on a chalkboard would be better than THAT voice._

 _"Kamoshida?!"_  replied Blond Boar.

_And that haughty, self-serving tone..._

_"You seem so carefree, Sakamoto. Quite a difference when you did morning practice on the track team."_ Makoto could just imagine him ending that with a wide, beaming smile. "Stuff of nightmares," she said to herself. Though the name sounded vaguely familiar, and not for the best of reasons.  _Sakamoto?_

_"SHUDDUP! IT'S YOUR FAULT THAT-"_

_"HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO MR. KAMOSHIDA IN THAT MANNER!"_  roared the Counselor.

Makoto was somewhat startled.  _That was quite lo-_

 _"OMG, is that the transfer student down there with that blonde doofus?"_ An audience was now forming around the windows that were facing Makoto.

 _"Don't worry, Counselor. It was my fault, I shouldn't have pushed it,"_ Kamoshida said.

_"...Fine, I'll take you word for it. Either way, Sakamoto, you're coming with me for skipping out on half of the school day."_

_"THIS IS BULLSHIT!"_

Sakamoto followed the Counselor, stomping on the school steps as if he were trying to flatten them to the ground. Akira, however, stood still, calm and composed, as if he was just drift-

_"Holy shit, that dude sounds SOOO pissed!"_

_...if only being Student Council President came with a mute switch,_  Makoto mused to herself.

Still, Kamoshida was at the top of the stairs, and Akira at the bottom. And Kamoshida seemed to want to gloat.

_"Hey...you're the transfer student, aren't you? Akira Kurusu? Haven't I've seen you before?"_

Makoto was noticing that Akira was pausing a bit before starting to speak.  _Like Shibuya._

His glasses slightly down, he said:

"Yeah, _you were picking up that natural blonde in the car. Quite the Samaritan you are..."_

_Natural blonde. Who is he-_

_"Dude, is he talking about Takamaki, the second year?"_

Back outside:

There was a notable hesitation from Kamoshida. But after a while, with his hands now on his waist:

_"...Well, I'll overlook look this today. I'm sure you've heard from the principal, but cause any trouble and you'll be expelled. Understand?"_

Akira was leaning back on his left leg.  _"Can you overlook more_?"

The class couldn't believe what this transfer student was saying to Kamoshida. The insolence coming from his mouth. Makoto herself couldn't help but cover her mouth in shock. Though...

She couldn't stop smiling for some reason.

_"...Just head to Ms. Kawakami in the faculty office. Good luck trying to enjoy your time here."_

Makoto could only see Kamoshida tightly clenching his fists. Behind him, a creeping sense of self-satisfaction on Akira's face.

That amount of self-satisfaction should have sent her boiling. But something about it...felt like approaching him was like heading into a lion's den. Where was he hiding that part of him?

Either way...a small detour in her schedule today was needed.


	6. Agoraphobia

Akira remembered that the faculty office was on the second floor. A straight line to there was all he needed to do. Though...there had to be one obstacle between him and there.

A big one. On the first floor. With aging hair and aging skin and aging ideas on rehabilitating youth through harsh teaching, given his look.

"So you're that problem transfer student. Late on the first day, too. You like causing trouble for the school? You even want to be reformed? I'll bet 50,000 yen that that attitude you showed today is just going to repeat throughout the year."

Akira at this rate would have just walked away so that he wouldn't make Kawakami madder. Unfortunately, given the near-death experiences he had undergone just today...

"Not really. But YOU seem to like causing trouble for other students trying to get to the faculty office. And from what I could gather from the principal, you should be on the same page as him. Now excuse me."

Akira began to walk briskly to the second-floor staircase. Behind him, he could sense that the late, middle-aged teacher was fumed enough to reach out and attempt to grab him to prevent him from going anywhere. He then heard the cracking and creaking of an old man's back. Turning around, the teacher was scowling, huddling forward with his hand straddling his back, his golden years having ended being made clear.

"Oh my! you should get a doctor for that," Akira said with the biggest shit-eating grin.

* * *

Just as Kamoshida said, Kawakami was waiting in the faculty office. Head forward and laying down on a stack of papers, but present none the less.

Kawakami, using what must have been an innate ESP, got up to greet Akira with her best impression of a bear rudely awoken from hibernation, followed by:

"Urgh, unbelievable. Being over half a day late on your first day?"

"I got lost. Tokyo subways are weird."

Kawakami scoffed. "It's lunchtime; you could have walked over here and got here sooner. I mean it's true the trains have been a mess as of late, but you're way too late!"

A deathly stare was somehow forming over her eye bags.

"Pull yourself together! You were given fair warning yesterday. Plus, I heard that you were along with Sakamoto-kun?"

"It wasn't my choice; he just fumbled into me," Akira responded, still trying to stay cool.

A long sigh came from Kawakami's mouth. "Don't get involved with him, OK? He's nothing but trouble." Her head then turned slightly, her expression softening. "He wasn't like that in track and field though...anyway break time's almost over. Due to the train accident, classes will end at fifth period. Follow me."

Following Kawakami-sensei to the classroom, Akira realized he was going to enter a hornet's nest. It would get out eventually, but he didn't expect it to come this early; the buzz from the hallways about him was already this loud; he couldn't imagine what it would be like inside.

Before entering the classroom, Kawakami turned to him. "By the way, when you introduce yourself...please be serious about it even if you're lying to class OK? Do NOT say anything unnecessary."

Like that would have mattered. The class greeted him loudly with rumors about him.

_"Late on his first day of school? He must be insane..."_

_"He looks normal though..."_

"Today, I'd like to introduce our new student, Akira Kurusu. Today we...had him attend from the afternoon on since he didn't feel so well."

_"But he might slug us if we look him in the eye.."_

_"He seems quiet...but I bet when he loses it..."_

_"I mean...he was arrested for assault."_

Kawakami was getting more uncomfortable with each whisper. "Uhh, so your seat will be...Hmm...Over there. The one that's open. Sorry, but can the people nearby please share your textbooks for him today?"

_Uhh, this sucks._

Akira proceeded to his chair, not trying to make eye contact with anyone, just to do them a favor. Akira was about to reach his seat when he heard:

"Lies; the station would have given you enough time." It came from the right. It was the same natural blonde he saw that got into Kamoshida's car. Her joy and openness were visibly gone.

Still:

"Hmm," Akira said, calling her out somewhat. Natural Blonde sunk down somewhat, directing her attention away from him towards the windows to her left. Just like the others.

_Well, enough lingering,_  Akira thought.  _Time to settle down._

Unfortunately, the rumors didn't settle down yet.

_"Did you catch that? Do they know each other?"_

_"Does that mean he hit on her before transferring here?"_

_"Then again, this is Takamaki-san we're talking about..."_

_"For real; that side of the room is awful..."_

The only thing Akira could do is stare out at the window, and the wire mesh baked into it. A courtyard with lush, green trees was waiting below.

He reckoned he'd get acquainted well with the view this year.

He was pretty sure he was going to need it.

* * *

Akira, despite the jabbering of the people around him, survived until fifth period. The day was over; he'd expected Sojiro to chew him out when he got back. He did have that right after all. Most of all, he was surprised by the natural blonde, Takamaki.  _What the hell did she deserve to get that much flack?_

It became sadder the more he thought about it; she was here at Shujin longer than him, and she probably has had multiple days of this crap.

And now, being associated with the "infamous transfer student" probably didn't make her life much easier.

He could have ruminated on this more. But Akira was then struck with the worst headache while leaving class. His vision was starting to wane, and he barely held his head with his right hand. A few blinks, and he was starting to see regal-looking furniture in place of the lockers and people in the halls. With a red carpet spanning the hallway no less.

"Am I...still in that place?!" Akira said, his heart starting to race at the possibility.

"What's wrong?" Kawakami asked behind Akira's back.

"...It's nothing." At least, Akira thought, it looks like some type of...hallucination or whatever.

But still...

_What the hell is happening?_   _Am I starting to...fall apart somehow?_

"...Are you ok?" Kawakami continued further. "...Just head straight back to where you're staying. Sakura-san sounded mad when we called him about your absence. Oh, and about Sakamoto-kun-"

_Speak of the devil,_  Akira thought.

"Speak of the devil," Kawakami remarked. Ryuji had entered the stage. "What do you want? I heard the police busted you for skipping classes today."

"Uhh, it was nothing." Ryuji was a poor liar.

Kawakami continued. "And you haven't changed your hair back to black either..."

"Sorry about that." Ryuji then headed over to Akira's left ear.

"Rooftop. I'll see you."

Kawakami couldn't help but shake his head. "Urgh...Why do I have to deal with this? This is why I don't want you involved with him. Understood?" Kawakami then trudged off in the direction of the faculty office, her hands plunged wholeheartedly into her messy hair.

Exit stage left Kawakami, enter Rolie-Polie Principal and Potential Pedophile from the nearby stairs.

"Now come on, don't be like that," chimed Kobayakawa.

"But seriously? He's friends with Sakamoto ALREADY. He's been guilty of assault. At this rate, all of my contributions to this school won't matter."

"Now, now," Kobayakawa continued, "A steady buildup of resources is needed to make an institution like this grow. And the boy proved to be a great opportunity."

"...Your troubles are ever present, huh? Well...ok, I'll do my best to your expectations."

The two then soon parted ways, not noticing that the kid they were talking about was privy to every word. A steady stream of resources? The hell?

The upper left part of his vision was tingling. A youngish, black-haired student in just a turtleneck was staring. He turned his attention, only for this kid to turn away, his trembling as visible as his facial bruises and scrapes. He also happened to lead the afternoon ceremony in class.

But that wasn't important right now. Ryuji called him up to the rooftop. And he had a good feeling what the topic of conversation would be.

* * *

Akira was sitting here on the rooftop, trying to process the roller coaster he had been through. He was sitting on one of the many spare plastic fold-up chairs populating the roof.  _Sakamoto was taking his sweet time_ , he mused to himself. He could have pondered more about this...but he was starting to get bored.

Ultimately, his mind began drifting towards thoughts of being in the hallways, sitting by the window in the classroom, constantly hearing what people were whispering even when he wasn't actively listening.

He hoped he was ready for the worst before parting ways with his hometown. But today...with the dungeon...Persona...even for him, all of that was too much.

He was lucky then that Ryuji picked such a secluded spot; he needed the quiet.

The best thing for him now, he thought, would be to find something to distract himself. Fishing through his backpack full of trash, wires, and circuit boards, he noticed he kept "that" still on him.

To laymen, it was a Kanzaki solenoid haphazardly mounted on a rotting piece of boat wood with some hastily soldered chips and components. But to him, it just needed a battery, and it could significantly disable any assailant...

_I suppose you wouldn't mind enjoying this creation of mine..._

_Who'd knew a motorcycle part could produce this?_

That, and the sound of someone in high school yelling in pain due to 1 kilowatt of karmic justice being delivered.

"...Nevermind," Akira said to himself. "I shouldn't dote that far back away."

_Besides, in that mess of a sack, there aren't any soldering irons. And there_ being _an outlet on top of the roof? Fat chance._

He'd had to settle for Sudoku on his phone instead.

"So, here you are. Though finding you up here is quite a surprise. This place is usually locked."

Akira didn't expect to have the Student Council President come up here instead of Ryuji. Despite almost dropping his phone, Akira put up his best innocent expression. In the evening light, he saw her, arms behind her back, head face forward, and eyes dimmed to convey a "refined" form of harsh judgment.

Either way, Akira felt like she was trying to bore through his head with them.

"Uhh...well...I was just trying to think." Akira couldn't help but wring the back of his neck out of embarrassment. "I mean, I would have been in the library...but it looks like my past caught up to me faster than I expected. The whispers were so loud they practically were yelling, so I couldn't focus. So, I tried somewhere a bit...far out...like here."

Makoto was still standing up, now arms crossed, trying to seem serious. Unbeknownst to her, she had a slightly amused smile on her face, slightly comforted that she wasn't the only one getting annoyed by them. "Tell me something," Makoto replied, as she propped up a chair for herself, sitting directly in front of Akira. "You were practically gone for half of the day. I should know since Kawakami-sensei was...well...very angry to say the least."

"I could imagine," Akira said with creeping gravity.

"And then you showed up with that...'interesting' student of yours with the blonde hair...What kept you from coming?" Makoto asked, leaning forward slightly.

Akira wished he could have been truthful in his instance. That he had to fight through a castle owned by some representation of a perverted gym teacher using a power within. But then...she definitely wouldn't believe him even if he kept to his being lost in a castle.

And so, he replied:

"I got lost."

A quick pause. Then:

"I'm still having trouble navigating the subway here it seems. I mean...what happened the other day at Shibuya...well, I guess that dazed me was still here today." Akira chuckled softly, feeling a bit flushed. "Sorry. It's true though. I feel like I'm navigating a maze, between the stops and the alleyways needed to get to here. You're right though...that blonde kid is weird. But it's not like I wanted him to tag along, and I'm not actively trying to."

Makoto felt a slight sigh of relief. Though, now, a quick silence fell between them, with Akira periodically looking at his phone.

The buildings were starting to dim the sky. "It's such a shame. It's quite a nice open view here. No skyscrapers to block the sky," Akira said, facing now towards the sun. He took off his glasses; he figured that if his eyes were to relax, the rest of him would follow. "Reminds me of my setup at home."

"Home?" Makoto inquired, her legs now crossed and her back leaning towards Akira. "Well, I suppose being next to the ocean gives you some beautiful sights."

"Yeah..." Akira was now turned towards Makoto. Despite the reduced sunlight, the orange hue over everything was adding warmth to her already earnest smile. And her eyes...

"Wait, how did you..."

"Sorry...I had to be briefed, unfortunately. I recognized your town during my studies."

"I figured as much."

Makoto meanwhile was starting to feel flustered; she was beginning to notice he had a bad habit of zoning out in front of her. Especially now, his frizzy hair was casting a shadow over his eyes, making his grayish eyes a charcoal flavor. And they were pointed towards her.

Neither noticed how much time they were dedicated to penetrating the other's visage. Or the tingle down the base of their spine.

_Wait, right._  "Sorry, I lost track."

Hunched forward to meet her eye to eye, he continued, a childlike giddiness bubbling to the surface of his lips:

"Have you've even been to the ocean?"

"The ocean?" Her eyes darted upward as he tried to remember the last time she was there. "I would say...maybe a year ago. With my sister."

"I don't mean the beaches here; I mean like, a real beach. With no buildings or towers or skyscrapers or human-made lights?"

Makoto couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed. "N-no...I can't say I have."

"Then you're missing out. You go from a beach like that, with no civilization in sight, no steel towers or anything inorganic, fabricated. You can see the best sights there. Orion shines brightly, the Dippers are proud and brilliant. Just imagine being on a boat. Or better yet, on the highway. In a convertible, or on a bicycle, and letting the fresh ocean breeze hit you in the face."

Makoto had forgotten for a bit that she was doing a check-up on the delinquent fuzzy-haired boy and assumed a pose she'd only reserved for her lecturers.

Akira was starting to get self-aware of his geekiness and couldn't help but stare away for a moment.

Makoto was paying attention meanwhile to the bag of junk next to Akira's leg. She had just inched to his side, with Akira being none the wiser. _Did Akira leave it open?_  She didn't see too much though.  _Some cords, sheet metal, and..._

_A Kanzaki solenoid?! Weird thing to bring to school. But those...those can last for 15 years upon estimates. Plus... that reminds me, I am due for a new one. Though..do I really have time for-"_

"I'm sorry; I'm probably boring you with this stuff; I'm probably just some uncool geek with unkempt hair in your eyes right now. I probably should have just-"

His back was buzzing. Akira turned around to find Makoto standing right next to him, borderline beaming.

"I think you have an exciting passion, Akira-kun. In fact...it's enviable.

Akira was confused. "My passion? I mean, don't you have goals, dreams? What about Student Council? I mean, I would assume you need passion to be a President."

Makoto's smile became a tad weaker. "It's hard to say; it's there...but...let's just say that having a dad who served into the Metro, things felt at times to be...guided, to say the least. I was in Student Council starting the first year in Shujin. It would be only natural for me to assume a higher position after being in it for so long, especially with people like him and my Sis suggesting such things."

Akira couldn't help but smile. Despite the mention of cops, something about her enthusiasm, her reverie, was something fascinating to behold. Though:

"You don't have to be so clinical, you know. I mean, I can only assume being a President involves a lot of detailed work and the like. But you should at least make sure it was something you wanted."

Makoto felt a certain resonance with those words. Big enough to actually pause and think for a bit.

After a while, Makoto felt comfortable with this answer:

"While it's true that my sister suggested this as something that would reflect well for my college applications...I think I wanted this. I felt at the time I applied I could be a just President that could preside over everyone. Protect everyone, rule fairly. Be a force for all things just. 'Tame the uncharted wilderness,' as someone would say."

_What a dork; she definitely quoted that from a Western_. "Well, Makoto, I think you gave a satisfactory answer. High marks. Though I assumed no less for someone in a position that probably needs good grades."

Makoto couldn't help but utter a small giggle, despite trying to cover her mouth. "That's so corny, if I say so myself. Plus you sound like one of the teachers here, to be frank."

Akira's voice got deeper, but his grin was still plastered on his face. "But it's true; it's very 'queenly' of you. Speaking of which...aren't you supposed to be meeting with Student Council right now?"

Makoto was taken aback by how much he was already in the relative know. "How are you figuring this out?"

"Best guess; I just assumed since school just ended."

Makoto groaned. "That sounds about right...well if you excuse me, but...'Your Excellency' must depart."

"I suppose I'm your dirty little secret from now on? Don't wanna have rumors about you spread about your secret trysts up on the roof."

Makoto giggled once more. "You're the worst; I don't have the luxury for that anyways." She was about to turn away to the rooftop entrance when she felt something lingering in her mind. It was too soon, perhaps...but she could at least try.

"Hey..." her voice now lower and quieter than before. Her eyes were also looking away from Akira, towards a random tree down in the distance, trying to find something to ease her nerves. "I know...I'm going to be rude by asking this. If you don't want to answer...I don't blame you. I felt like I should know since...other people are asking about it, and you'll have to deal with it. If there's anything...I can do to help..."

"It's about my record, huh?" Akira had assumed she'd be curious of certain facets of his record. And for some reason...he felt he should oblige her somewhat, now she was here.

"Hey, it's ok. I'm not offended. You did the kindest thing by asking. Plus...I'll have to admit I wasn't the most forthcoming since the first time we met. So, I'll try to answer to the best of my abilities."

Makoto turned back to meet Akira's dark eyes. "I-it's just...everything in your record was blank before. A few complaints, sure, but nothing disciplinary. I...what went wrong, Kurusu-kun?"

"...Because..."

Akira felt himself tighten all around. Phalanges, ribs, tendons, lats; it was preventing him from focusing. A fire was forming in his chest, as he was starting to think back to that drunken asshole, to the castle, to the woman crying for help, to Ryuji on the verge of execution, and how evil had triumphed over honest men, how malice destroyed the lives of the innocent, how the strong preyed on the weak.

He was fighting himself from gnashing his teeth into dust.

After a bit, he forced himself to sigh, to release the hot air forming in his lungs.

Makoto was still attentive, though, as she realized that perhaps that rudimentary analogy was correct: maybe Akira was a time bomb.

And she set it off by accident.

_Makoto_... _I don't need her to see me angry._

He finally resolved to give her a brief, but honest answer, straightening his back and spreading out his hands relieve the tension in them:

"Because doing the right thing doesn't make the world right."

Akira turned away from her, his head hunched forward. "I'm sorry."

Makoto at this point had her eyes closed, her hand on her chin, digesting over each word. Her face was scrunched up, deciphering his every intonation.

"...I see." Her eyes then opened to meet his. "I appreciate you being honest with me, despite how much pain this might have caused you. There's only so much I can decipher from what you said...but it's not my position to pry too much. Thanks for talking to me."

Despite the seriousness of the previous topic, Makoto decided to end her conversation with Akira with a smile and a small bow. She then proceeded to leave the way she came.

And now Akira was alone again.  _Perhaps for the best_ , Akira thought. Ryuji seemed like he didn't want anyone else barging in, especially someone who's somewhat associated with the school.

And so, Akira sat back down, now with glasses on. He was staring at the yellow-orange gradient above him, waiting once again for Ryuji. But it seems sleep would come first instead.

His eyelids getting noticeably heavy. The warm colors above him were still pushing through his eyelids, swirling between various stages of orange, red, and then white. And as that was happening, he felt a sinking sensation.

"...I just wish I could be a good person. A brave person, unafraid to tear apart the world at the seems. A just person...just like her. Just like..." Akira mumbled to himself.

And so, while bathing in sunlight, Akira let his mind drift to another time. A hotter time.

* * *

**6 years ago**

"Sis, you know cigarettes give you bad lungs," chimed the boy. He was laying fully flat on a motorcycle chassis while reading a thick manga titled "AKIRA", not caring about staining the pages with the traces of grease on his hands.

"Ren, you're a self-righteous brat you know that?" chimed Minako, her long, brown hair tied into a bun and her face full of oil smudges.

He winced. "I'm just looking out for my big Sis, big Sis."

The woman paused for a moment. She was hunkered over the ground, her cap in her hand, visibly stressed by the metric ton of sweat forming on her brow. The sun god was not kind today.

"Hey, Minako..you think Dad could put us on one of his choppers? He can fly after all. I'm getting bored. "

"A Defense Force pilot can only do so much; a former one, even less. And what do you mean? Last time I checked, you were taking a break reading about post-apocalyptic biker gangs while I'm the one trying to get this stupid ass starter to work?"

"You mean Bendix drive."

"Same difference, wiseass."

"Sorry. I'm bored. I just...want some crosswords. Better than picking up Dad's slack."

She couldn't disagree; it was rather dull, mainly since the task at hand, which was fixing this stupid fucking starter, was more impossible of a task than finding something better than mechanic work to do for the rest of her life.

_Bored, eh?_

"Hey, kiddo; how about a magic trick?"

"...I'm not 'kiddo.' I'm your Bro."

Minako grunted. "Ok, fine, Pipsqueak Bro. Just pay attention." She then motioned here two pointed fingers from Akira to her eyes. She held the dry cigarette in her right hand using all of her fingertips. With her left hand, she pushed the cigarette into her hand. After fully in, she turned her hand away from him, to show nothing in her right hand.

"Sis...I know you just pivoted the cigarette into a finger hold on your left hand."

Her face was shriveled. "You little shit..."

Akira couldn't help but giggle at her sister's misfortune. Given their situation, anything would have been nice.

"...Hey sis?"

"WHAT?"

"...Thanks. Your magic trick caught my attention."

"I hate you."

She stared back down at the solenoid. She started to smile.

"Hey, Ren-Ren. Catch."

Akira at the last minute caught the solenoid with both hands. He felt the bike solenoid's rust; the leads were messed up as well.

"Needs better electrical contacts," she commented. "Probably cheaper to buy one aftermarket. Ren-Ren, pass me the jacket to your left."

Akira turned left to see a black jacket with a red, circular emblem on the right jacket arm. She proceeded to wipe her hands off with it.

"Better use for this 'Gekkou; jacket anyway. Either way, this starter business is Dad's problem."

Akira scoffed. "I've asked you not to call me that, how many times?

"Not enough to satiate my boredom."

"Besides, what am I supposed to do with it?"

Minako smirked. "Make another gizmo out of it. Add it to the pile in your room."

A loud yelping came from the road nearby. That of a wounded animal it seemed.

Akira walked over to find a dog with its throat slit and a white sedan screeching off.

The 3rd one this month.

Minako crouched over the dog, petting it gently between each of its whimpers.

"Fucking cowards. Strays, now house pets?! When is this going to end?"

Akira couldn't help but stare at the dog's eyes. They were fixated on him, and Akira could see the fear. The want of...something for the last time. Maybe pets. Or play.

After a while, it just froze its eye on him, never moving from that position.

It didn't have long anyway.

Though...he'd reckoned he'd try something crazy with his new spare part.

For another's dogs sake.


	7. Memento

**_6 years ago_ **

Akira's eyes were still fixed on the dog. The dog's eyes had begun to glaze over in the heat.

Minako had in vain put pressure on the dog's wound, and now had its blood mixed into the oil in her hands to form a sun-baked, crimson paste. "Useless pieces of shit cops; you'd think in a town as small as this, they'd at least give a damn about some innocent animal. It's not like they're on a drug bust. Bullshit."

Minako had returned to the shop, but felt like kicking the odd toolbox away from her.

Akira had the faintest sense to do...something. Not sure what, but now was one of those time where he let his true self guide the way.

"Sis, I'll join you in a minute!"

His attention was turned to Dad's old raft boat behind the shop.

Dad, when he was sauced enough, would keep on talking about this damn boat. About how he built it with the finest wood from around here. How woo'ed Mom with it by taking her and it to a nearby lake under the cover of the night. How he stared at the moon and the stars. How they floated together all that night. How they had their first kiss on that boat. And with their parents none the wiser.

Now, it sported fist-sized holes in the hull and was dingy brown instead of a pristine white, as suggested by the fading paint.

"Well, better use as scrap rather than as a symbol of my parent's relationship."

He reckoned it wouldn't take much effort to break a piece off. He leaned back on the right starboard of the ship to rip a piece off like one would do styrofoam.

* * *

**_4/11, Afternoon_ **

With the short crack of the wood, Akira felt himself snap back to the chair on the Shujin rooftop. Eyelids heavy, he blinked slowly to find someone over him.

" _YO DUDE WAKE UP!"_

Akira opened his eyes to see Ryuji hovered over him.  _Looks like he showed up_ after _all_ , Akira thought.

The sky though was a solid orange by this point.

"You're late."

Ryuji groaned. "I know, but that shithead counselor was giving me some lip. Kept up bringing my mom too….I got delayed by a lot. That's all I can say. Also….sorry for calling you up here like this. You look like crap."

Akira then stood up to meet Ryuji eye-to-eye. "It's fine. I got some rest anyway. Felt like I needed it, after today."

"Yeah…..I forgot how much shit you've gone through today alone. I can't say I haven't been through this before."

Akira was playing with the loose curl dangling in front of his face with his right, and twirling his phone in the other. "So I suppose Kawakami wasn't exactly wrong by saying you're a problem child?"

Ryuji scoffed. "Sounds like her. Probably said something like 'Stay away from Sakamoto-kun, Aki-...Aki-'?"

"Akira."

"Seriously, I wonder if that's how shithead teachers get their fun in between having to actually teach. Just chew someone out, y'know?"

Ryuji now had a noticeable growl on his face. Akira felt like responding in kind. "Sound like we're in the same boat; some teacher felt like being the same way to me before I even met Kawakami, and practically threw his back out trying to put on this 'tough guy' act on the fresh, new, delinquent student."

"Dude, I bet that was Ushimaru. Real effing asshole he is. Wish he retired already." Ryuji then changed the subject. "Seriously, though, you should have told me you had a criminal record."

"Oh great not you too…."

"Shit man, wait! I mean like…..stuff connects, you know?"

"What?"

Ryuji was visibly pained as he attempted to form the sentences that would explain himself. "I mean, with the cops before; and that castle and goddamn Kamoshida; no wonder you were so gutsy."

Akira felt flushed under his neck. "I wouldn't say I got that from breaking the law. And even then," he continued as he sat now on a laid-out desk, "I didn't get arrested because I intended to."

"Shit man; you have to tell me later about this, k?" Ryuji then hunched forward in the chair, propping his torso up with his elbows. "Either way…. about….that castle. What the hell was even happening there? It wasn't a dream…I think. You remember it too, yeah?"

Akira sighed. "Unfortunately."

"Doesn't matter that much however. Anyway…. regardless of whether it was a dream or not, you still saved me from Kamoshida."

"...Thanks?" Akira was pretty sure that it would have mattered if it were a dream or not. But somehow, he couldn't help but crack a smile and play along. After all...this would sound like the dumbest dream ever either way if he told it to anyone else.

"But man...just because he's some gold medalist that led the volleyball teams to nationals, he gets a blank check from everyone. Pisses me off. Especially when-"

"He's a pervert?"

"See, I knew it wasn't me!" Akira had unintentionally made Ryuji virtually froth at the mouth out of a rabid rage. "Seeing him in the castle, it drove me nuts. Him as the king of the school, the school being a castle...it felt too close to home."

Ryuji though returned back to neutral quickly as he left it. "I'm sorry; that had to have been a dream. As much as I want to visit there again, it had to have been a dream!"

"And after all that, if it were real, you'd still go in? You're quite a troublemaker." Someone like a teacher wouldn't be smiling when saying that. But after all...he was a delinquent, whether he'd liked it or not.

And, judging by the grin creeping on Ryuji's face, so did he. "So are you; I think we'll get along fine."

* * *

**_4/11, Late Afternoon_ **

"Well, it looks like you'll perfectly healthy. For edging 65, that is," a doctor said while checking off on his diagnosis sheet, her legs bare and crossed, pointed away while being clothed in strappy black platform high heels.

"My, my, you don't mince words."

The doctor's brown eyes turned to meet a man draped heavily in traditional robes, showing a crooked smile while chanting under his breath with his right hand extended. For a man in his 60's, he could pass off as a 40-year-old based on his face alone; neither wrinkle nor grey hair was seen under the doctor's eyes. Near his right leg, a white Shiba Inu with reddish-looking eyes and a black harness, sitting patiently while staring ahead.

"Seriously? I may not be a monk, but I know from my early days that's a death prayer you're muttering."

"Relax, I'm pretty sure no one has died in your clinic. It's…for someone else," the monk said, his eyes now meeting the doctor, who was hosting dark blue hair in blunt bangs. "I'm surprised you recognize such things."

The doctor was now slightly grimacing. "It's hard not to. My parents liked to say that quite a lot in my childhood. Besides, your type has a way of attracting fearful, desperate families."

The priest laughed. "Perhaps. But, eventually, we return to Nature. Best thing is to have some people prepare those having a hard time accepting it."

"I suppose I should ask why you, of all people, would come out from meditating under some tree in the country to get a doctor's checkup."

The doctor then had proceeded to look down at his phone momentarily and twirl his phone on his middle finger with superhuman balance and speed. "Family business. I have to go see a lot of family members in the Tokyo area anyway." His dog meanwhile was meanwhile staring intently at the spinning phone; so much so that it was starting to rock back and forth, losing equilibrium.

"I suppose that's your business. Though...I should perhaps warn you as a doctor may increase the incidence of a cracked screen by 60 percent."

"Oh hush, Takemi-san; my meditation prepares me for multiple things. Even small tasks like these." The man then rose to leave. "Take care." He then turned his attention to his enthusiastic, furry companion. "Shall we?"

The Shiba barked and stood attention, as if it could understand human speech.

"Don't come back again now; I prefer low traffic through here," the doctor interjected as the priest and his furry partner exited her clinic.

Outside, awaiting the monk and dog were the tight walkways of Yongen-Jaya and gray. Gray everywhere.

"My my, grey is in season here now, isn't it?"

The dog nodded in response, ending with a whimper. To anyone observing, the case for an evolved form of canine was getting stronger by a minute.

"Well, perhaps we'll stop by Tatsumi and enjoy some beaches there," the priest said reassuringly to his dog.

The dog barked happily, its red eyes beaming radiantly.

The man though had one more thing to do: meet an old friend and his new assistant before returning back home south to the temple.

* * *

LeBlanc was, like the rest of today, occupied only by the sound of the monitor in the corner and Sojiro on a stool, lost in another crossword puzzle. Then, the doorbell rang. Instantly, Sojiro jostled up in his stool, away from his newspaper to meet the cause of the new sound.

Turns out it was a priest and his dog no less.

"I'm sorry but no pets are...wait...you again."

"Ahh...so your memory is still intact, I see. Despite your old age."

"You're practically the same age as me. Plus, I'm better looking anyway." Sojiro then remembered something else. "Anyways, Ryuzaki, I've been trying to call you all morning goddammit!"

Ryuzaki replied, much to his amusement. "You Luddite; perhaps if you saved my number one of these days, you would remember it and not misdial. That's the only thing I can think of as to why I didn't receive a call."

Sojiro could only growl in defeat. "You know, your boy was truant today. I doubt he even went to school at all today."

The priest couldn't help but raise his right eyebrow. "You act like that's foreign to you, given how you-"

"Don't get smart. I can still throw you out."

Ryuzaki smiled. "I would believe you if you had customers to consider. Plus, it's getting late. On a weekday. Sorry, but no one's coming."

Sojiro was starting to toot heavily from his nostrils. "...Why did you hock on me such a troublesome kid?"

Ryuzaki sighed and stared directly into Sojiro's eyes. "That troublesome kid is a well-intentioned, young man. I thought my sister briefed you enough."

Sojiro scoffed incredulously at him. "Ridiculous."

Ryuzaki's face flattened. "What, did you expect he was going to be some regular old hoodlum? Learn the barista trade, become a noble heart-stealer like you in a snap?"

"And yet, knowing how I've...already failed with one kid, you'd want me to try again here?" The mention of this "kid" was taking the color out of his cheeks.

"Consider this...a remedy if you will, in more ways than one. Besides...it was a desperate time. Still is. This was the best I could think of, given how I have my sister to consider. Plus...schools eat up the possibility of reforming 'delinquents.' They're carrots on the stick."

Sojiro at this point went around the kitchen counter to lean to the seat next to Ryuzaki. "Sounds like a bitter pill to swallow. Though I think you're conveniently lying about him being your nephew."

"Would it have mattered if he was? You've been well compensated for his expenses."

"Feel like it should have been better invested."

The dog on the other hand...

Sojiro then turned his attention to the furry companion sitting on the stool behind Ryuzaki, its expression one of conciliation. "Why'd you bring the mutt along, Ryu? You know I'm-"

The dog next to Ryuzaki growled and barked fiercely, brandishing its pearly-white teeth; it seemed like he didn't appreciate being called a mutt.

"Great, Sojiro, you hurt his feelings," Ryuzaki commented. "How are you supposed to interact with people if you can't be courteous to an animal? Especially one with great spiritual power?"

Sojiro rubbed his temples in confusion. "What the...man, why are you always so weird?"

"But to be frank, I'm holding this dog in the meantime for a fine young college student while he's away for personal business. And yes, I know you're running a store. But you'll have no customers here anyway, so it's fine." He then peered around. "You know I was hoping to cross paths with your new assistant before I return home."

"Well looks like you'll be disappointed then. Unless you're willing to wait and sip a cup of coffee." Sojiro then put on a smile. "Perhaps some of the Blue Mountain?"

"Just the Blue Mountain. None of your curry though."

The dog was whimpering, however; it seemed hungry.

"Maybe curry for the dog then?" Ryuzaki added on. "I'll pay."

"Jeez, I swear my life is now at rock bottom when my only customer is some Shinto priest and a dog...Fine. This is my one exception to the pet rule. Though if a health inspector comes in, it's your ass."

The dog barked happily in response. Sojiro went back around the counter to heat up his siphons, which he then loaded with Blue Mountain coffee beans. Sojiro then opened the slow cooker with his signature curry; in response, the dog started to pant heavily, staring intently at the curry. Ryuzaki turned and stared in amusement at his companion.

Sojiro handed the dog a fine plate of meaty curry and Ryuzaki a cup and saucer of freshly brewed coffee. "The dog's lucky I didn't add chocolate to the curry this time."

"I'm sure my friend will appreciate it."

Ryuzaki turned to find the dog furiously lapping up the curry; the didn't stand a chance. Despite seemingly being a messy eater, it still seemed to have a rather clean coat of fur around its mouth after slobbering it up. Ryuzaki, in turn, tried a Blue Mountain. Sojiro hadn't lost his touch; he personally wished for an endless supply of the mild dark roast himself, but he already knew at the back of his mind that coffee, like all remarkable things in life, don't last. So perhaps while he was crashing over at Sojiro's place, he would savor every taste while his old friend observed in a smug amusement.

"Sojiro, stop staring at my saucer. I've said it countless times: you've made excellent coffee," Ryuzaki said, finishing up his last sip.

"All's fair in taking pride in one's craft," Sojiro commented.

"Meditation on one's craft and skill is all fair in that it channels your energy into a positive good, yes. But pride breeds obsession if you're not careful. Creates...unintended consequences. Tell me...have you've seen anyone as of late? Other than, well "her" of course."

Sojiro's smile evaporated away.

Ryuzaki pressed even further. "It wasn't your fault, Sojiro. You probably don't want to hear me lecture you for too long, but at the very least-"

"...No, I really don't."

"Then I'll end with this: All things fade; the sooner you realize this, the sooner you'll realize to savor what's remaining." Ryuzaki then raised from his stool, along with his furry companion. "I must be going; I'm still on schedule, and it's unfortunate he wasn't here now. Just...bear with him. He's a good kid."

"Society doesn't care if the kid is 'good' or not. I'm supposed to keep him safe; the kid should realize that and keep his nose down. Nothing comes from not watching your back."

Ryuzaki became stern-faced. "There's a fine line between being safe...and being entombed in some prison."

He turned to his dog. "'Maru-san, come! I have something for you."

He turned back to Sojiro. "Before I do go, though, just so you don't forget it." The dog handed him a small white card. On it, his phone number, and on the flipside, a noticeably weird saying on the back. Well...actually, the first thing should have been why a monk would have something like a business card in the first place. But still: "Two in harmony is better than one in perfection." What the hell did that even mean?

Sojiro put the card in his wallet as the two walked out of the door.  _Probably another lame aphorism coming from his mouth._

A few minutes later, Akira dragged himself through the front doors of LeBlanc.

"It's only your first day and you're already showing up hours late?" Sojiro remarked sternly.

Akira was noticeably tired.  _Did the brat stay up, against my advice?_

"I'm sorry," Akira said, head sunken down. Sojiro couldn't help but note that for a punk kid, he seems awfully meek about getting into trouble, especially with all of the smart-ass quips he was pulling out of his mouth.

Sojiro sighed behind the counter. "Look, behave yourself. Your life's forfeit if anything happens. You understand the meaning of probation, right? Now...just get to bed."

Akira as ordered went upstairs. And as Akira went upstairs, Sojiro couldn't help but wonder: was Ryuzaki not completely bullshitting about the "good nephew" part?

 _Whatever; it's none of my business,_  Sojiro said to himself. He was happy enough with the idea that the kid wasn't a shameless moron.

His phone began to ring. Sojiro pulled out his phone quickly.

"Yeah, yeah. Curry time, I know. I'm leaving in 5 minutes."

Sojiro closed his phone and proceeded to sigh and slightly sink over his bar counter. "It's time like this where I feel good locking him in each night." His hand then moved to the half-empty bottle of whiskey on the shelf behind him and then proceeded to pull out an old Polaroid from his wallet. In the picture was an adult in his 30s, dressed similarly to Sojiro, holding awkwardly on the shoulders a black, short-haired woman wearing black glasses and a black sweater vest.

"World being rough as it is, no need for another to fall through the cracks."


	8. The Sails of Rebellion

Akira was exhausted; he had enough of castles and kings to last a lifetime.

His head was also throbbing from one too many whacks to the head. Chest too. No visible scars at the very least, so at least Sojiro...

 _Sojiro…_.Akira knew he was going to chew him out when he walked in..

"I got an interesting call from school today," Sojiro said behind the counter.

Akira could only respond with "I got lost" while cradling his throbbing head.

Sojiro continued. "You understand the meaning of probation, don't you?"

Akira nodded slowly, not being able to look him in the eye.

Sojiro sighed. "Ok, just go along. Just..stay out of trouble. I have to wrap up anyway."

As he walked up to the attic, Akira couldn't help but cough something up. Bloody sputum had come up. These "Shadows" or whatever they could do…this to didn't matter right now. Rest was first and foremost. Though, when he closed his eyes…he found himself back in a familiar place. And a familiar, grating voice.

"About time you've come to. On your feet inmate!" Caroline then beckoned him to get up with repeated strikes on the prison bars.

"Nice  _seeing_ you again," Akira grumbled.

Justine then spoke. "Our master wishes to speak with you. Take his words to heart, for your own sake."

All attention was then turned to Long Nose, once again with his chin resting on his craggy-fingered hands. "First, a toast to your special powers. Your rehabilitation, and the training of your newly awakened Persona, can begin."

Akira could only assume that by Persona he meant that….demon thing of his that went to town on those knights.

Igor continued. "I indeed have high hopes for you."

Akira started to grimace. "How is this my concern?"

He figured he saw a twitch come from Igor's right eye. "You'll come to know why in time. Anyway, how did you enjoy my Metaverse Navigator? I bestowed it upon you in your journey to be a thief."

_Metaverse Navigator? Does he mean the app that looked like a phishing scam?_

_And last time he checked, I would be lucky to have a job at a ramen shop after high school with my record. But being a thief is off the table. Just what did he mean by….thief?_

"Should there be others who prove beneficial to you, I will grant them to you as well."

_Wait….others? Why even suggest…..wait..._

"Igor! What did you-"

Caroline cut him off. "Enjoy the rest of your sleep, inmate."

It wasn't much sleep, since he next found himself in his bed, staring at his creaky wood ceiling. At least he got it: this…whole thing with Personas, castles, pervert teachers….it wasn't going away any time soon.

But now?

If the Nose was being truthful…

* * *

4/12, Afternoon

School had wrapped up for the day.

At least no castles popped up during the commute. Nothing special, except the teachers in the faculty lounge obsessing over pensions. More gossiping girls laughing to each other about psychotic breakdowns. This was all rather grating for him; more so than his classmates' being surprised that a delinquent like him could answer Ushimaru's questions on Plato.

Kawakami was slightly better. But then again, she was at the point of changing her last name from Kawakami to  _Karoshi_.

And still, the red eye on his phone would not go away.

Walking out of the homeroom behind Takamaki, he saw Kamoshida come up. Something innate told Akira to stay back a bit.

"Hey there Takamaki. You probably should hitch a ride with me. Been pretty dangerous to take the train as of late." Kamoshida was towering over her right shoulder, close enough to smell whatever perfume she wore.

Takamaki was turning away from him, her arms towards the black bag on his shoulder. "Sorry, the special summer issue photoshoot is today…I can't afford to miss it."

"And how is your health? An issue with appendicitis, right?"

Her head was sunken at this point. "I've…been busy. Haven't had had time to go to the hospital. Sorry."

Akira wasn't a doctor, but he knew even from basic health class that one doesn't "sit" on appendicitis.

He leaned over to where he was in a foot of Takamaki's right ear. "Seems quite lonely, being so busy," Kamoshida responded, keeping that saccharine smile of his. "Feel bad keeping your friend at volleyball practice."

Kamoshida was about to walk down the hallway when he then turned around to try and meet Takamaki's face.

She slowly turned her face towards her towering predator.

"Be careful of the transfer student. With a criminal record like his, well….it'd be dangerous to be near him."

Right as he finished, however, he caught Akira staring at him. For Akira, it didn't matter at this point; he waved back and grinned as smugly as he could. This was probably good, as Takamaki had a window to leave.

"Excuse me," Takamaki said as she walked off in the opposite direction.

Akira began to walk down the stairs to the first floor. "Smooth, Mr. Kamoshida. Don't get a nosebleed now."

Kamoshida, being defeated on multiple fronts, grunted like an old boar and left.

At the entrance, though, Akira ran into another blondie. "Yo," Ryuji yelled out. There were some noticeable bags under his eyes today.

"What's troubling you today?"

"It's about the castle yesterday. I…wanna go back."

 _So I was right. Shit._ "Well, I had a feeling you were gonna say this." Akira laid his back on one of the entrance walls. "Are you definitely sure about this?"

"Yeah. I mean….I tried telling myself it was a dream but….I know it wasn't. Plus…." Ryuji was starting to clench his teeth. "That….fucking Kamoshida. He's at the center of it. And…y'know, you're the only one I can rely on with this stuff. I mean….come on man, you were there!"

 _Given what happened, this sounds like a terrible plan,_  Akira thought.  _But…goddamnit!_

Akira sighed. "Alright…what's next?"  _Jeez, this really is a dumb idea._

"Let's head towards the station, retrace our steps."

"Retracing our steps" to Ryuji was going back to where they met for the first time, and attempting to take the same route they took to school while noticing anything "weird". _This probably won't pan out,_  Akira told himself. Still, he figured he'd at least let Ryuji try.

But as he expected, nothing came of it. Just a route full of roads inundated with taxis and small freight trucks; of the occasional Western boutique; of alleyways with standard recycle bins; and lastly, of Shujin herself, which was spilling forth students leaving for the day.

"Huh? School again? And no castles, huh?" Ryuji wondered. "Guess we took a wrong turn somewhere. Let's try again; trust me, I won't screw up this time."

Akira knew though they didn't take a wrong turn. Still…..Ryuji was trying quite hard. He felt he should at least try to respect that.

The duo circled around again, making doubly sure the route was correct. But as predicted: no castle in the place of the school showed up.

"For real?" Ryuji yelled, hunched over in front of the school. "Is this goddamn castle just small or something?!" Ryuji decided to rest his back on the school wall. "Dude, what do you think?"

Akira shrugged. "Don't know; it's not like we can just use a phone and pop it up on GPS."

Ryuji moaned. "Tell me about it; I tried it on my GPS, and it didn't work."

Akira was silently judging Ryuji.

 _Wait,_  Akira thought.  _GPS? Maybe that was what the Nose-_

"Hold on Akira. Didn't you have a navigation app thingy? You had something yelling 'returning back to the real world' in your pocket."

For once, Akira saw the lights turn on in Ryuji's head. "Actually, now that you mention it, I might have something."

Akira took out his phone. He was about to go to the weird app he saw before. But, before he could, Ryuji took his phone.

"Hey! What the-"

"Hol' up, what's this weird eye-looking thing?"

"I dunno," Akira remarked, tempted to snatch his phone back. "I can't delete it."

Ryuji pressed on the app. "Dude, it is a navigation app! With a search history and everything! Let's check the history on this app out. Kamoshida...Castle...Pervert teacher. Sounds like that dickhead Kamoshida alright."

"Wait, Ryuji, perhaps we shouldn't go too fa-"

There was a pair of students walking behind Akira down the stairs while Ryuji pressed the app another time.

"What the hell?!" Ryuji yelled.

 _What the hell indeed_.

Akira's phone screen was taken over by this red eye, only for the screen to tear constantly.

Akira could see what was transpiring. The world got darker, and everything was taking on a velvet hue. The pair in front of him was getting ever more frozen, still fixated on each other's company. He assumed maybe they were talking about their favorite pop idol. Or how the yakisoba pan keeps selling out on Monday. Didn't matter to him. At that moment, they weren't people anymore. Just elements of a still life. And like his phone screen, they and the school were tearing, getting corrupted with purple and red digital noise.

Then came the ripples.

Like water, the castle bubbled through in red and black whiffs so that they were in front of the large, imposing iron gate like before.

Ryuji ran towards the castle doors like a runner in a 100-meter sprint, with Akira closely behind. The main doors were locked like before, and so Ryuji could do was to stare upward.

He then turned around to Akira. He was in a familiar garb.

"The hell? You're in that that weird mask and trenchcoat combo like before? What is with that outfit?"

Akira was too focused on the castle to notice. Another view of himself showed that Ryuji was right. His performer's garb from before was back, red gloves and all. A quick feel around his face also told him he was in masquerade as well.

"Meh, I don't know. I kinda think it looks good on me."

Ryuji groaned. "What the..you LIKE it? Nothing makes sense at all!"

"Quiet down, you dumb blonde."

The talking cat was back.

"You're making a commotion. Now, because of you planks, the Shadows are antsy. Seriously...to come back after you barely escaped. "

"Just what is this place?" Ryuji blurted out.

"To you, it's your school. But to the owner, that Kamoshia person, it's HIS castle. Whatever his distorted heart thinks of the school becomes real here."

Ryuji turned his side to the side, staring oddly at the cat.

"Stop being a moron, blondie. This is basic stuff."

Ryuji was about to rip the cat's head off, but the sound of a man writhing in agony broke the tension.

"That was probably the sound of slaves here," Morgana commented.

"Slaves? Oh, just that huh...wait, WHAT?!" Ryuji cried out.

Akira could only think of where they could be.

"The guys in cells," Akira said. "I bet those sports uniforms were Shujin-issued?"

"Yeah..." Ryuji responded. "

"Just a normal day here," Morgana commented. "Plus, when you escaped, he probably got set off."

Ryuji's right leg was starting to twitch violently.

"SON OF A BITCH!"

Ryuji decided to charge shoulder-first into the door, but the door didn't budge.

"YOU HEAR ME KAMOSHIDA!? I'M GONNA-"

"Ryuji! Enough!" Morgana yelled. "He can't hear you."

Ryuji turned around. "Monamona!"

"It's Morgana!"

"Whatever. Take me to where those screams came from."

Morgana placed a paw on its chin. "...You really want me to take you to where they are, huh?"

Its head was sunken down, paws on its waistline. "Fine...but only if Akira comes."

Akira shrugged. "Might as well, given last time."  _Of course I'm coming!_  Akira told himself.  _After what happened, if I don't, he's going to die in 15 seconds of stepping in!_

"Awesome!" Ryuji cried out while doing a fist pump.

"It's settled, then."

* * *

Back in the real world, Makoto was alone in the Student Council President Room. Duties were finished for the day, but she decided to meet with someone in particular instead of going home immediately.

The person in front of her was one Makoto had seen periodically through the halls. A meek, brown-eyed girl who always seemed in a hurry, but one that caught her attention. One with black hair, wearing a light brown, rolled-up sweater commonly worn by the school's female volleyball players. She noticed too then her hair was always in a ponytail, tied with a pink hairband.

She also sported a black leg brace on her right knee.

That made her curious. And to her, curiosity is always a terrible itch that grows worse the more it lingers. Particularly if it involves students.

The Student Council only had several members, so the school decided the council room shouldn't have much to its name. A couch by the door, glass display cases sparsely populated with old school plaques, and excess chairs. The bare minimum. In fact, the council's meeting "desk" was actually a pair of wooden lab desks hastily put together Makoto had put together at the last minute, all the while trying her best to keep the dust from them from staining her white sweater.

After a while, Makoto heard a knock on the door.

"Come in!"

In came her guest. Makoto was seated back by the desk. "Please, Shiho Suzui. Take a seat."

Makoto had kept her cool, but she was somewhat taken aback. Her discerning eye had caught the limping in her right leg. The rigidness in her left shoulder. The tremor is her right hand. Despite all that, though, Shiho was able to grab a spare chair and opposite some distance away.

"Thank you for taking time after volleyball practice to meet with me."

Shiho smiled weakly. "It's fine, Nijima-san. I-" Shiho coughed midway.

Makoto took note of her hoarse throat. "I hope volleyball was not too hard today."

"No...I'm fine. I'm pushing myself harder than usual."

 _Hopefully not too hard_ , Makoto thought.

_Back to the task at hand._

"How are things going with volleyball? I understand this is your first time in a national championship."

"Y-Yes."

 _I suppose I should throw this possibility out. "_ Your parents must be proud, given you're just a first year." Your coach must have immense confidence in you."

The last line of hers made Shiho turn her head slightly away and straddle her black brace reflexively. It was brief, but it revealed to Makoto one thing: intense swelling. It was sadder to see this since all of the volleyball players were like this. Multicolored bruising. Open, rosy sores. These were signs of repeated trauma.  _What sort of training is this?_ she thought to herself.

Makoto leaned forward. "Has a doctor looked at that, Suzui-san?"  _Or rather, her parents? This...this is borderline outside the capabilities of a normal school clinic. I wouldn't be surprised if the sores weren't infected already._

"I-it's fine, Nijima-san; I just had a hard spill. It'll...go down with ice. Kamo-...coach told me it needed just some ice."

Makoto eyes dimmed slightly.  _There's a lead._ "Perhaps your parents should take you to a doctor anyway." Shiho was fully turned away from Makoto by this point.  _I perhaps went too far,_ Makoto lamented.  _I need to get back to the task at hand. I did lead her in here unnecessarily._ "Anyway, I bought just to check up on you. Some of your teachers complained about your grades as of late.

"Grades?"

Makoto sighed. "They aren't...terrible. Just slipping. It's concerning. Plus, there are reports you've appeared exhausted in class."  _Unsubstantiated, though I won't be surprised if that last point is true._

Shiho opened her mouth in vain to say something.

 _Very likely then,_  Makoto commented mentally.

"Forgive me, Suzui-san. There are many that want you to try your best. That's all. Sports are nice...but it would be a shame if you couldn't do well. Especially for upcoming midterms." By this point, Suzui's head was sunken down at her wringing hands. But, as if she had a third eye, she raised to meet Makoto's face with a stiff grin and closed eyes.

"I appreciate your concern, Nijima-san. You shouldn't worry about me so much. My parents know already about it. It's fine."

Despite this, the itch was still there in the back of Makoto's mind.

Another knock on the door. "Excuse me!" In a flash came a hurried, but quiet-sounding student with scuffs and bruises around his orbits. He bowed in apology. "Kamoshida's...wondering why you're not at practice right now." Then, he turned to Makoto, eyes faced away and his head down. "He also warns you if this will become a regular thing, Kobayakawa will have to know."

Shiho's eyes widened. Her hands were shaking.

Makoto stood up to get in front near Shiho, prepared for a poised response. "My apologies, Mishima-kun. Tell Kamoshida that it was an academic matter. She'll be here shortly." She motioned Shiho to stand up and get going. When she did, however, she held her back for a brief moment. "Shiho, if you're ever in distress, please don't hesitate to ask for help. Have a good day."

And with that, Shiho went off to practice, and Makoto was once again alone in the room, now on the couch. She placed her right thumb on her chin.

_As much as you tried, Suzui-san, you've given me enough clues to feel especially confident about my assumption. All the other times, the people I brought in last year as the Vice President only had small bruises, so I waved it off as normal training accidents._

_But then, again...those people weren't as transparent as you, Suzui-san._

_The bruising. The swelling. It's worse than before. And more people like you, Suzui-san, are showing up in the hallway, conveniently as the championships are coming up._

_The more I see it, the more the rumors are starting to seem true. This can't be just a rough training regimen. This is abuse. No question._

_The old coach, I remember from two years back, never had this problem._

_But Kobayakawa though...The less he knows about it and the more I can operate under his nose, the less likely Kamoshida can spin a story to explain himself. For the time being, I can't let Kamoshida be suspicious. Yet._

She brushed away the stray hair strand in front of her face and fiddled nervously with her hairband. "At this rate, I wouldn't be surprised if that boy with facial scars was on the volleyball team too."

_I can't though go to the staff without someone's testimony. But I doubt anyone from the team would be that willing to, if I have Suzui-san to go on._

_Plus, why haven't her parents brought this up to someone already?_

She pressed her fingers into her forehead.

_This doesn't make sense!_

_And then there was what Akira said:_

_"Because doing the right thing doesn't make the world right."_

_I wouldn't have expected this from someone I've met just this week...but he has a point. One good deed doesn't necessarily change things automatically. And if it's Kamoshida we're talking about...I would most likely need a good portion of the team to confess at this rate._

She laid back on the couch and signed. "What would Sis do? What...would Dad do?"

* * *

Akira, Ryuji, and Morgana got back into the castle using the vents they found during their last escape. Akira and Morgana had noticed that with the Shadows being vacant in the main hall, heading back down to the dungeons was more straightforward than last time.

"This place STILL gives me the creeps," Ryuji lamented. "How large is this castle anyway?"

"Can't say; the highest I've been is the first floor, and then I got caught when they rushed me in one of the side hallways. Does seem to be huge like other Palaces though."

"So there's more of these?" Akira wondered.

"Yes," Morgana replied. "Anyone with enough of a distorted desire can have a Palace like Kamoshida does."

"This is...troubling," Akira replied.

They had just gotten across the moat where they encountered the Pixies last time when they heard the shuffles of metal.

"Crap!" Morgana cried out. Morgana scanned around when he noticed a ripply door. "Perfect! Everyone, past that door now!"

"Wait, you pudgy cat!" Ryuji exclaimed. "How is this supposed to..."

Akira then dragged Ryuji by the collar. "No time! Trust him for now and get in!"

The three shuffled in the room as fast as possible and shut the door behind them with all of the force and speed they could muster. Ryuji was breathing hard at this point, but Akira held a finger to his own mouth to signal to him to be quiet.

The three of them held their breath for what felt like an hour while they were hearing nightmarish sounds interspersed with the clanging on armor outside the door.

Akira could hear the Shadow's warbled voices on the other side of the door:

**_"Weird...I thought I heard something."_ **

**_"Either way...what about the slaves?"_ **

**_"They're in the training hall below us. They're probably screaming in pain right now."_ **

**_"Very well. Continue your patrols."_ **

_It seems they shuffled off,_  Akira thought. "Morgana, I'm surprised they didn't catch us in here."

"That because a Palace is the distortion of one's own desires. What the owner desires of a place, it will be so. The projection, this 'will,' can be stronger and weaker in some areas, so..."

"So what?" Ryuji asked.

"So it means that...this room is one of those weak spots, and the Shadows can't 'project' themselves or have a presence in this room, right?" Akira quipped.

Morgana smiled. "...It's so refreshing to have someone with a fast acceptance of such things." All of a sudden, the room began to phase back and forth between being an empty room with wine caskets to a normal, vacant classroom at Shujin, tables included.

"What the...is this a classroom?" Ryuji cried out while rubbing his eyes.

"It's what Kamoshida imagines a classroom to be," Morgana replied. "His heart has created a new reality based on what he sees in his world. Now, do you understand, Blondie?"

"...So, this is how an asshole sees Shujin, eh? What a piece of shit..."

Morgana turned to Akira. "He really doesn't like this guy, does he?"

"HATE IS THE BARE MINIMUM," Ryuji quipped. "EVERYTHING, FROM GODDAMN TRACK TO EVERYTHING ELSE, IS HIS FAULT."

"I don't know the history between you two, but you got to have a clear head," Morgana replied. "His lackeys are everywhere. You barely survived last time against the projections, and I can only do so much." He then turned to Akira. "Speaking of projections, I bet you're curious about the duds. That's part of the world too."

"And how is that?" Akira replied.

"This is is just more stuff not making sense to me," Ryuji said with his head down.

"Your will to resist, the power of rebellion held within you, is clashing against the desires of the one who created the Palace."

Ryuji was grunting. "Still doesn't make sense!" Ryuji's eyes lit up again. "And wait, why would I care about his trenchcoat?" Ryuji said while pointing at Akira. "I should ask about the talking cat and why it's here."

"Human," Morgana retorted.

"What?"

"I'm a human."

"No," Ryuji replied. "You're a cat.

"Well, for now. I am definitely a human. Maybe."

"Maybe?" The other two asked in unison.

"I guess...I lost my form." Morgana then looked around, seeming like he was searching for the next words to come out of his mouth. "I was casing this place so I could find some lead about what I am. Then, that jerk Kamoshida caught me and had his guards throw me around like a racquetball in a cell." He turned stared intensely at Akira. "I'm going to continue to investigate this castle, and when I find Kamoshida, ima shove my foot up his ass. And you're going to help me this time."

"Hold up guys!" Ryuji yelled. "I don't got that 'power' shit you guys have, but I wasn't planning on standing by either." He then pulled up the front part of his shirt to pull out what seemed like a small pistol with an innocent grin to boot. "I brought it just in-OW"

Akira swiftly slapped Ryuji across the back of his hand. "Wait, you've been carrying that at school the whole time?" Akira yelled.

"...Just for a few hours."

"Like that makes it even better."

"But it just makes gun sounds. It's a toy, but it looks real. I reckoned it would scare some of those guys off!" Ryuji whimpered. "And hey, don't get mad at me; I brought some medicine too." He then pulled out two boxes of cheap, over the counter generic pain reliever.

"Oh brother," Morgana groaned.

"I did my best!" Ryuji complained.

Akira scowled. "GIMME THAT." Akira swiped the gun out of his hand, only to examine it closer.

_Hmm...om the bright side, it could have fooled me. Wait...depending on what this was used for, that probably isn't a good thing._

Akira then put the gun away in an empty jacket pocket; his coat surprisingly had a lot of storage space.

Morgana sighed. "Ok, then, ignoring Ryuji's questionable plan, we'll continue with our investigation. Stay close, Rookie."

Morgana slowly pushed out the door so that the cracks to outside were visible. Just as their ears suggested, they had gone away from the hallway. "Looks clear. Let's head to this training hall."

The trio then descended into a set of similar-appearing, snaking corridors, its walls littered with small, empty cells and barely hot torches. A purple, malicious miasma was down below, and the air carried the faint traces of what seemed like screams. The three followed the screams to a corner. Around that corner a hallway leading to a room with a small bench in the center and two Knights pacing around its four empty corners. Behind it was a wooden door with a red-lettered banner overhead.

"Ok, Rookie," Morgana said, beckoning Akira to inch up to the corner with him. "Here's what I want you to do. You see the blue masks these guys have?" Akira nodded. "We're going to pounce-one each-and rip them off. I've been around here in the castle to know how these Shadows are. Ripping them off can disorient them."

"Ripping them off?" Akira commented. "And then, what? We...stab them in the face?"

"You'd be surprised how well this helps conserve your stamina in expeditions like this."

"Ok then," Akira said. "On your lead." Akira had his knife, glistening as ever, positioned in his hand to strike downwards.

Several seconds later, the Knights were set up around the table so that they were facing the door. Morgana had jumped on the moment, launching off Akira's back. "I have left," Morgana whispered overhead.

 _That's a cue if I've ever seen one,_ Akira told himself as he launched off the ground. Akira was slightly rusty, but he kept Morgana's pace. At the opening of the room, each sidestepped to their targets. Akira's target had started to turn at the sound of his weighty footsteps. Akira then sprung off its shoulder to land on its head. With his left hand, he ripped off the mask to reveal crimson eyes piercing the pitch black inside the suit. Then, a quick jab, and the Knight dissolved into a black smudge. Akira turned his head to the right to see Morgana having similar results.

"Nice work, Rookie."

Ryuji formed back up with the rest of the team, with one of his legs slightly dragging. "Damn, guys. That was awesome! This is making me mad that I can't do anything right now." His head then drifted to the banner above the door. "Kamoshida's Training Hall of Love? What the-"

"-Fuck?"  _Ugh._  Akira saw the banner too. The phrasing conjured up some rather disturbing ideas of what would be on the other side of the door.

"Anyways, the screams we heard earlier are definitely on the other side of the door." The cat creaked open the door. "Clear." The other two then followed.

In front of them was a small, concrete bridge arching over one of the castle's many creeks. The screams were at this blood-curdling, and reverberating off what seemed like cells in front of them.

Ryuji suddenly jogged forward ahead of them in anticipation. He then stopped at the cells. "WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?"

Akira, after his outburst, had finally caught up to the cell bars. Akira, despite his calm demeanor during the investigation, became visibly perturbed by what he was seeing.

Student-athletes trapped in a volleyball court below, taking a beating from the flat ends of several swords, all wielded by the Knights. A boy strapped from the cell ceiling being hit repeatedly by cannon-shot volleyballs, each hit producing blood that dripped down below. Students on the court awning limping around like zombies, and bandaged like war victims.

Ryuji frantically tried to pull the bars away. "GODDAMNIT, GET ME IN THERE!"

"Ryuji, keep your voice down! They're going to hear below!" Morgana commanded in a hushed tone.

"THEY'RE BEING TREATED LIKE SLAVES! THIS IS SO MESSED UP!" Ryuji then searched violently in his pockets for his phone. "Lemme take a snapshot! These guys are on Kamoshida's team. If I can get their photos-" Ryuji pressed repeatedly on his phone. "The hell? I can't take pictures!"

Akira checked his phone. "Just the Navigation App works. Everything else is purple static."

"DAMMIT!" Ryuji yelled while attempting to squeeze the life out of his phone with both hands. "I could have taken down Kamoshida with this!"

**"It's...useless..."**

Two players were walking up to them. One in long pants, and the other in short pants and with his legs bandaged.

 **"Our best hope is to follow Kamoshida's bottom line. Else we risk getting executed...like you two,"**  whimpered the Slave in Shorts.

"You seriously prefer to be trapped like this?!" Ryuji yelled out.

 **"Do you want to be crippled like him?"**  the Slave in Long Pants added. He pointed down to the far right a small cell. The trio had walked over to find a blond-haired student in a Shujin tank-top, rolling around on the ground. Ryuji slowly walked over to get a look at this person.

"...This kid...why does he look so familiar?" Ryuji commented out loud. He took a closer look at his shoes. They had a red spot by the ankles. "Wait...no way...you can't be..."

"Ryuji, what's going-" Akira had to do a double take; he knew what had Ryuji freaked out. In the cell was another Ryuji, Its eyes were glassy white, and its skin was pale blue. This other Ryuji dragged itself on the ground towards the bars, gasping for air. A look at its legs showed why: an emaciated calf fractured halfway, with the bone barely breaking the skin.

Morgana moved up to Ryuji's right side. "All of these guys here are what this Kamoshida thinks of these people. Slaves. And given how strong and 'creative' these projections are-" He stared at the other Ryuji, and then back to Ryuji proper "-I wouldn't be surprised if this abuse is happening in real life to the same people."

For Akira, things had become clear. He knelt down near Ryuji. "Ryuji...your leg. It's been lagging ever since I've met you...it's from Kamoshida, isn't it?"

Trying to gnash his teeth into dust, Ryuji kept punching the ground with his fists. "DAMNIT! DAMNIT! GODDAMNIT!" He closed his eyes as hard as he could, seemingly to squeeze what he had just seen out of his mind.

Akira then heard the knights shuffling from below.

" **INTRUDERS! AFTER THEM!"**

"Guys! They heard us! We gotta head to the exit. NOW!" Morgana cried.

Akira then proceeded to get Ryuji off the ground. "C'mon, let's move!"

And so the three of them ran like a bat out of hell back into the dungeon corridors, with dozens of shadow Knights on their tail. While the three were running, they were transforming into two-horned beasts, appearing similar to horses and ready to give chase. Akira took a quick look behind his back to find that the Knights had turned a stampede. "Morgana, do you have any suggestions for this?!"

A panicked silence. And then:

"Wait, Rookie! The gun!"

"How is that gun gonna help!? It shoots pellets!" Ryuji asked, breathing heavily.

"JUST DO IT!

Akira, having nothing to lose, pulled out the toy pistol from his coat pocket. Continuing to run, he shot over his shoulder. The gun made a sound, like Ryuji mentioned. What Akira didn't expect, however, was after the first shot, one of the two-horned beasts giving chase keeled over and was left behind. Morgana followed after with a quick flick of a slingshot. Morgana's shot landed between the eyes of another horned beast.

"What the hell?" Akira cried out. "HOW?!"

Galloping forward, Morgana answered. "This is a world of cognition. If things look real enough, then they can take on the effects of real-life objects. Shoot again!"

"This seems awfully convenient, but...I'm not willing to complain!"

Akira and Morgana ran slightly ahead of the group and turned around. Meeting the stampede head on, they each proceeded to shoot seven shots. One by one, a beast fall down and be trampled over into black, wispy smoke by the rest of the group. More were coming from the lower floors, however, so they kept on running. They were able to get to the main hall when the way to the vents was blocked by none other than King Kamoshida and a few of his Knights, one of which was wearing golden armor.

Much to Akira's dismay, the Shadow Kamoshida still had not shaved and was still wearing a pink speedo.

"You knaves again?" Shadow Kamoshida sneered. At this point, Ryuji was out of breath and reaching back for his leg, his face wincing slightly. Looking at Ryuji, he continued with a self-satisfied grin. "How far the mighty track star has fallen. I bet you're in pain right now, but it's nothing compared to the pain of your teammates. You know, the ones you who dragged under with your...selfish act." He then looked at Akira. "This fool dragged you into here without telling you how  _unreliable_  he truly is. How he sold out his teammates, and how carefree he is about it."

"THAT'S NOT TRUE DAMNIT!" Ryuji yelled, still on the ground.

"Tch...whatever. You'll all unlucky. You all are going to die here. Knights, clean this garbage up."

Kamoshida stepped behind his Knights while the remaining horned beasts from before made a running circle around Akira and company. At this point, the golden knight has transformed into a red, heavily armored knight, holding a long, sharp thrusting lance and riding a white-maned, black-haired horse. All the while, the shadows chanted "Kill!" in unison.

 _Shit, this is bad. Really bad,_ Akira dismayed.

One by one the horned horses charged at the three, each with their backs against one another. Akira and Morgana had summoned their Personas and had their ranged weapons. Charging one by one, each of the horses that charge met a swift end.

"Hey Morgana!"-Akira kept firing madly at the stampede-"I'm wondering right now? Is there an ammo limit to these types of weapons?"

"Of course there is! Did you expect a cognitive trick like this to last forever? Cognitions naturally catch up to this type of stuff. You picked the worst time to ask this!"

As if Lady Misfortune were hearing the conversation, Akira's gun clicked.  _No bullets already!?_  He hastily put the gun in his coat pocket and proceeded to the tried and true art of Persona. "Arsène! Rip their horns off!"

"Zorro! Rip them apart!" Morgana then cried.

Arsène grabbed one of the horses by its horns and pinned it down to slash its throat with its sharp fingers. Zorro meanwhile summoned a gust at another. The gust, though, didn't make a scratch on the target horse and charged into Morgana, launching him onto Akira. The horse rider then moved in for the finishing blow: a kick from the horse.

The horse rider had Akira totally pinned under the weight of his steed.

Morgana had his head slightly raised off the ground. "Pieces of sh-" Before Morgana could complete that thought, Kamoshida put his foot on Morgana's back. "Oh Sakamato, I bet you went here on a whim and ended up here, didn't you?"

"...No.."

"Pieces of trash, raising their hands at me. Getting emotional so quickly. Look where that got you, Sakamoto. Look where it got your friends. I think I'd deserve better, especially when I helped your coach out."

"Bullshit!" Ryuji yelled, still flat on the ground. "Since when does a volleyball player give a shit about a track team?"

"Pfft. Doesn't matter anyway. Teams like track were an eyesore to me anyway. The results should belong to me!" He knelt to the ground to meet Ryuji's eyes. "What, you're going to bark at me? Try and strike me again. You want me to break your other leg too?"

"Dammit...am I going to lose again?" Ryuji told himself.

 _Well...this might be it,_  Akira lamented.  _My apologies, Dad; look like I'm not coming back to the car shop._

He then remembered Igor's words. That he gave the app to certain people to assist in his quest.

_It's a long shot..._

"RYUJI" Akira grunted. "You're going to seriously take it up the ass from some dumbass jock in a pink bikini? Last time I checked, you were ready to ram yourself into one of these Knights here to save my life. Now, stand up for yourself this time!"

"Akira...you're right." Ryuji then got off the ground to stand on his feet.

"Huh. Care to stand while I execute these scum in front of you?" Kamoshida jeered.

"No, Kamoshida. You're the scum here." Ryuji limped towards Kamoshida. "Using people to blow smoke up your ass...you're a real piece of shit."

"Guards! What are you doing? Silence him!" Kamoshida ordered suddenly.

Ryuji felt a creeping, burning pain in the top of his head. "Now...STOP LOOKIN' DOWN ON ME WITH THAT STUPID SMILE ON YOUR FACE!"

A "familiar" voice in Ryuji's head butted in:

**_You've kept me waiting for too long._ **

Ryuji's head felt like it was being stabbed repeatedly with meat cleavers. Like it was going to explode. Ryuji was reduced to his knees, yelling intensely.

**_You seek power, correct? Then let's form a pact._ **

His eyes, now yellow, were constricted to a pinpoint as he turned himself over in desperation. He started to hear a low-pitch drone in his ears.

**_"The other you" who exists within desires it thus._ **

Ryuji then desperately tried to fidget about, pleading to make it stop.

**_I am thou, Thou art I...There is no turning back! The skull of rebellion is your flag henceforth!_ **

A small flame appeared around Ryuji's face, only to dissipate as quickly as it formed. In place: a skull's mask, made of polished, hardened steel.

Ryuji reached with both hands the inner part of his mask...

"What can you do, whelp?" The Horse Rider jeered as he pointed his lance towards Akira. "Now...sit back and watch!"

Ryuji ripped the skull mask along with the skin under to produce a bloody puddle. With that came an intense burst of energy, one which knocked back Kamoshida and the shadows into the stairs.

Akira, free from having a ton on his back, looked in front of him. What he saw gave him hope; Ryuji wearing a buttoned-up, leather coat and in leather jeans; wearing thick yellow gloves and holding a rusty iron pipe; having a red sailor's shawl tied around his neck; and most importantly, a Persona hovering above him.

His Persona was a pirate skeleton chained to a mast-less galleon, with a cannon in place of its right forearm. Its red eye-its right was covered with an eye patch-stared menacingly ahead. And Ryuji seemed like a kid in a candy store.

"This effin' ROCKS!" Ryuji roared, donning his new metal skull mask. He glared intensely at Kamoshida, who had barely got himself up from the stairs. "Let's get some payback!"

"Yes, Ryuji," Akira replied, now up and brandishing his weighted blade. "Let's."

The Horse Rider Captain rallied the horned beasts around him, his voice getting more monstrous and distorted.  **"HOW DARE YOU MOCK ME, YOU BRAT!"** He, along with his horde, charged at the trio.

"Captain Kidd! BLAST THEM AWAY!" Captain Kidd then aimed at the incoming stampede and fired a bolt of lightning that hit the Horse Captain head on. The explosion swallowed the group charging at them, producing a cloud of dust. A few seconds, the cloud subsided, and Ryuji saw the damage. All of the horned beasts laid on the ground, twitching and singed, and then dissolved. The Horse Captain, hunched over on his steed, was still alive. "What troublemakers that both King Kamoshida with trifling matters!"

"Damn right I'm one! If Kamoshida's cognition ain't going to change, then neither will my trouble-making ass!"

"Guys, he's exposed! It's time for an All-Out Attack!"

"All-out Attack, Morgana?" Akira replied.

"Attack all at once! Make sure to get him off his stupid horse!"

"Roger that!" Ryuji yelled out.

On Ryuji's yell, the Horse Captain, lance raised, and the party charged at each other head-on. The Captain attempted to thrust at Morgana, only for Morgana to jump on the lance and launch off it. Above him, Morgana pulled out his slingshot to fire the rest of his "rounds" at the Captain's head, cracking off his helmet.

The Captain fumbled a bit, trying his best to say in his seat.

_My turn._

"Arsène!" Akira summoned Arsène, and the two charged next. Arsène jabbed its claws in the Captain's breastplate, knocking him off his horse. Meanwhile, Akira took hold of its horse's mane and sliced at its throat repeatedly. The horse did not last for long.

Now, the three were over the Captain, whom Arsène was skewering to the ground. Strained, it attempted to speak. "I...am...a loyal subject...of King Kamoshida. Why...have...I lost?"

Ryuji smirked, laying his new pipe on his shoulder. "Guess...King Kamoshida ain't hot shit like he believes himself to be." He then took a swing at the Captain's head like a golfer at a tee. And then another. And another. And another, producing more and more black bits on the floor, until its head was unrecognizable. By that point, it began to evaporate.

Ryuji panted heavily. "Holy shit...THAT WAS AWESOME!" He turned back to Kamoshida, who was still standing by the stairs. "How 'bout that, you hairy sicko? Even if you apologize now, I ain't gonna forgive a piece of shit like you."

Kamoshida though still have that "stupid grin" on his face like before. "This is still my castle, idiot." He waved his right hand. Coming stage left was-

_Takamaki-san?_

And not just Takamaki-san from his class. It was Takamaki-san in a purple leopard swimsuit and cat ears.

"What the hell, Kamoshida? What is Takamaki doing here?"

"Takamaki? What a beautiful name for a meow-velous and beautiful girl!" Morgana exclaimed.

Catty Takamaki laid herself on Shadow Kamoshida's right shoulder, fawning over him. King Kamoshida in return petted her neck like a pet.

"Let go of her, you perv!" Ryuji yelled.

Kamoshida chuckled. "My castle, my rules. What  **I** want, I do." He turned to meet Cat Takamaki's pleading eyes. "Women adore me. Even women who hate my guts like that nosy bitch President with the weird brown hair braids wish they could get to me."

_...Nosy President? Hair braids? Wait...don't tell me..._

He then turned to the trio at hand, having a slimy sneer on his face. "And slow, dim-witted thieves like you get jealous when you see the types I get. Typical, given that women aren't drawn to trouble-making punks like you."

"TAKAMAKI! SPEAK UP!" Ryuji cried, his voice near cracking.

 _Wait though...should I be jealous right now?_  Akira looked closer at their catty guest.  _Wait..._ "Something's off guys. I think this one is not real."

"Akira's right, Ryuji! It's just another cognition!"

"GUARDS! SILENCE THEM!" Kamoshida ordered. Out from the ground and via a purplish splash came three new knights, swords ready.

"This is bad, guys; we'll be outnumbered at this rate," Morgana commented.

_The cat's right; we barely survived the last round, and Ryuji's still messed up from before._

"I'M NOT GOING TO LEAVE AND NOT DO ANYTHING!" Ryuji yelled, stepping forward.

Akira wasn't going to give him a choice. "I'm not getting us killed right now," Akira replied, grabbing him from behind and pulling him back.

"Hey dude, what the hell are you doing?!" Ryuji exclaimed.

"Just be quiet and keep going," Akira replied curtly.

"Nghh...FINE. I swear to god, though, Kamoshida. We'll expose you, no matter what. You better be ready for us!"

"Good," King Kamoshida replied. "I look forward to torturing you. I was getting tired of my current prisoners anyway. Come anytime when you don't care about living anymore."

Running back to their escape route, Akira could see Shadow Kamoshida cackling with malicious glee as his soldiers began to advance in a phalanx, with swords pointed towards the party. Despite their insistence, the guards didn't catch on to where they were heading and easily lost them in the side hallways.

Making it outside, Ryuji once again had to catch his breath. "Goddamn, I need to run more," Ryuji said. He then turned his attention to his new costume. "Hey, I don't remember changing into this."

"Welcome to my world," Akira replied. "Either way, it looks good. It suits you."

"Should I be happy about this? Oh well, it doesn't look as bad as yours," Ryuji replied

Akira glared. "Nevermind, you look like a thug."

"Dick." Ryuji then realized something. "Shit, what about Kamoshida in the real world? We're still screwed because of this whole castle nonsense."

Morgana raised an eyebrow. "You're sharp...for an idiot. Relax. Palaces here represent repressed feelings, a part of them that person doesn't want to see. Whatever goes on here is going to unrecorded by the person in the real world. Besides, did the real Kamoshida remember the execution attempt?"

"Nope."

"There you go. Now about our deal..."

"Deal? What deal?" Ryuji replied.

"Uhh...did you guys forget?"

The other two stared blankly at the cat.

Morgana shook his head and closed his eyes to groom himself. "Idiots. To remind you...I cooperated with you and acted all nice and trained you so you could help me with my investigation. I need to correct my distortion and regain my true form, and to do that, you're going to help me go down to Memen-"

Akira and Ryuji had walked away while Morgana was talking.

"DONT TELL ME YOU'RE LEAVING? ESPECIALLY YOU Frizzy Hair, when you're already part of my master plan?!"

"It's Akira. And maybe next time. Too tired today." Akira continued to jaunt with the purest of insouciance.

"Is it because I'm not human? Because I'm like a cat?" Morgana used his hind legs to scratch behind his ears. "Is that why you're making a fool of me!?"

"Man I'm hungry. I know this ramen place when we get back. I'm buying."

"HEY! WHAT THE HELL! DON'T IGNORE ME! Ugh seriously, why're you wrapping this up like everything's all hunky dory?!"

"Some pork belly might be nice," Akira replied to Ryuji.

"OH HELL NO! Get back here! ...Grr...GRAAAGHHH!"

* * *

"Isn't this Beef Bowl so effin' awesome?!" Ryuji cried.

Akira was letting its steam collect on his glasses. "It's nice."

"Hey, you're not eating. What, you have a stomachache?"

Akira smiled at Ryuji. "Nope. Just tired." In truth, being headbutted by a supernatural horse goat made it hard to bend over to eat.

 _Well, at least this wasn't curry._   _Plus, he paid for the meal; I shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth_. He decided to plunge in. The teriyaki in his bowl was nice and succulent. A+ material.

"So, tell me about yourself," Ryuji said.

"You get straight to the point. Ok, then. I reckoned since you had your secrets spilled out a bit...What do you want to know?"

Ryuji's mouth was full again with meat and rice. "You _neva told muh why your even here in Tokio."_

Akira couldn't help but chuckle a bit in the back of his throat at Ryuji's disgusting habits. "Well, if you're asking me why I'm here, then I guess in short...I 'stuck my nose in adult business.' At least, according to my guardian, Sojiro."

"Sounds like your guardian is being shitty like adults can be."

"Yeah...still not sure about him. At the very least, he's not remotely close to Kamoshida." Akira paused to lay back in his seat. "Lately, I guess I'm tired of not being given a chance. Sojiro is just ONE disappointing example."

"Damn...that sucks. Really...kinda sounds like what I'm feeling right now."

Ryuji took this time to stuff his face once again. "Well, if it's Shujin you're going to, then you're living around Shibuya, right?"

Akira nodded. "Sojiro has a coffee shop set up in Yongen."

"Yongen? No shit, I used to live there where I was younger. You could always get all of the old, weird electronics there. Wait, you live in a shop?"

"...Yeah. In a dusty attic on a little futon bed."

Ryuji's face drooped slightly. "Damn, that's real shitty. What, the old man doesn't have a house?"

Akira shrugged. "He does. Beats me though as to why. Probably is a lonely codger who doesn't like me taking up all of the couch space."

Ryuji stared at Akira confusedly. He pulled out his phone to type something in. "Oh, so that's what codger means! You're a fancy speaker, Akira."

"Nevermind."

"Oh come on, what's the 'adult business' he's talking about?"

Akira's left eye was twitching. His mind was getting stuck on that moment again.

Luckily for him, he slipped out of it as fast as he slipped in. "I got probation since I stopped someone from getting raped."

"WHAT!?" Ryuji slammed down his bowl on the restaurant counter. "ABSOLUTE BULLSHIT!"

"Jeez," Akira replied. "I'm still eating, you know. But yes, I got in front of some bald asshole in sunglasses who was assaulting this lady-"

"THE HELL? YOU CAN'T GET ANY SHITTIER THAN THAT ASSHOLE."

"I. Said. I'm. Eating."

"...Sorry." Ryuji then scooped the rest of his bowl into his mouth.  _"So whait, nowhun's herd you out, or triuard to?_

He was starting to see the deep browns of her eyes being illuminated in the sunset.

"One...maybe?"

Ryuji raised another eyebrow. "Maybe?! What does that mean?"

Akira's mind went back to her deep brown eyes in the sunset.

"A girl. I would have included my guardian by default, but I think he only knows the bare minimum."

"Dude!" Ryuji slapped his hand on Akira's shoulder. "He's supposed to be your guardian! Of course he should know!"

Akira then noticed Ryuji slip into a toothy smile.

_Oh no...he's going to ask, is he?_

"Who was she? Was she hot?" Ryuji asked, with the biggest lewd grin.

"Not telling you who she is. She probably wouldn't appreciate it if I told someone who produces that type of grin when he hears something about potentially attractive women."

_She'd be elegant about it though. She'd probably beat your soul down with intense mental judgment. That, or drag you by the ear like your mother would when she's angry._

"Ah c'mon..."

Akira sighed. "I guess she was... _cute. But_  that's all you're going to get today."

Ryuji scoffed. "Fineee. Anyways...parents? Sisters?"

Akira scrunched his eyes slightly. "What about them?"

"Got anything back home?"

"Ehh...technically yes. Keeping it short...they...don't usually see eye to eye. Having a sister helped. But..." Akira bit his tongue for a moment. "Let's just say for now I'm kind of on my own. Sister won't be coming to help."

"...Dude. That sounds like the shittiest situation to be in."

"It's ok. I've done my best to deal with things _."_

_Yeah...simple._

Akira saw Ryuji sinking his head awkwardly into his tea, like a sad dog sinking its head into a water bowl.

Akira smiled at Ryuji. "C'mon, relax. I'm fine. Honest." A sincere pause. Then, Ryuji stared at Akira's bowl again, only to place more ginger there. "Seriously, eat more."

"I can scoop the ginger myself, you know."

"Just lemme do it. Besides, it's my way of thanking you for helpin' me out. Besides, we're both for taking it to Kamoshida, right?"

Akira then turned to meet Ryuji's eyes-wide expression staring at him straight in the face. He took a deep breath and then smiled back. "Sure; somebody has to."

"You're the best, man. Gimme your cell phone and chat ID." While they were exchanging information, Ryuji continued with the plan. "We have a dumb volleyball rally tomorrow. Kamoshida highly recommends going. Makes me wanna gag. Mostly will just be a game of coaches vs. students. The most important thing though is that there are no classes, so we can slip in and out of places unnoticed."

Akira chuckled. "You've actually thought this through this time. Sounds good."

"Now where were we..." Ryuji continuously loaded Akira's bowl with pickled ginger. "C'mon, we have too much ginger; eat up. It's rush hour anyway, so you should sit back and wait until you go home."

_Thanks, mom; next you're going to tell me to finish my vegetables since I'm a growing boy._

* * *

The sky was pitch black when Akira pulled up into LeBlanc and was greeted with the faint whiffs of wet, burnt coffee grounds. Despite being past closing hours, the lights were still on inside. Sojiro was on the middle barstool, doing crosswords as usual with his usual, stony expression. "I take it"-said Sojiro while sipping a coffee-"you went to school this time today?"

"I did."

Sojiro then had a tortured pause. To Akira, it seemed like he was holding the first response in his mind back.

"Eh, as long as you're not getting into your trouble, it's fine by me." He then yawned and threw his newspaper into one of the eating booths across from him. "Behave yourself." Sojiro put on his white fedora and locked up the place.

Outside, he turned the sign to walk down the alleyway. "You better be right about him, Ryuzaki. Else I won't be so nice to your furry friend next time," he muttered to himself.

Out of sight, Akira pushed down the door shutter so that no one could see him. Not needing to appear alright, let down his guard. He collapsed in one of the eating booths and quickly took off his jacket to examine himself. He palpated his sides for any fractures or anything abnormal.

_Nothing apparently wrong. And yet, I feel so exhausted and sore._

The Providin, Akira felt, was woefully ill-equipped to handle the general soreness he was dealing with it.  _Better than nothing though._  He took a couple of tablets, hoping it would alleviate some of the pain.

A long, cold shower later, he was dressed in his lounge clothes, sitting hunched over on his bed.

His phone buzzed. It was Ryuji.

 **Ryuji:**  Hey, I decided to go ahead and message you?

 **Ryuji:**  Can you see this?

A mischievous smirk was on Akira's face.

 **Akira:**  Nope.

 **Ryuji:** Whoops. Lemme try again.

 **Ryuji:** WAIT NO you definitely saw it if you responded. Funny

 **Ryuji:** Anyway, thanks again for back there.

 **Ryuji:** I'm going to be counting on you tomorrow, ok?

 **Akira:** Got it.

 **Ryuji:** You're a real bro, man.

 **Ryuji:** Welp, see you tomorrow!

He was about fall asleep, but he had something overdue.

_Let's see if there's any of Sojiro's cooking left._

Hobbling down the stairs, he made his way to the back. He noticed Sojiro left some curry in the slow cooker. He scooped up some curry in a spoon to smell.  _Mhmm...apples this time. Quite aromatic._  He then put some in a small soup bowl and dragged himself back to the attic.

Next was the...

_Butsudan. I doubt though good ol' Sojiro has an altar laying about in a coffee shop._

His eyes then turned to the pile of unsorted books next to his bed.

_Well, if I arrange them a certain way..._

He then sorted the uneven pile of old government manuscripts into an even, resting surface for the curry.

Last thing was some incense. Luckily, his uncle sent along some through his parent's care package. He hobbled down to the kitchen stove downstairs to light them on the stove.

Rather than laying down the incense like he normally would, he decided that setting them down on old, browned books and potentially setting LeBlanc on fire was a bad thing. He held his hands in prayer, with the incense between his fingers.

"Apologies; the past few days have been hectic, Sis. Hope curry is to your liking."

He gave way to silence, letting his inner self speak.

_So..._

_Surprisingly, I've met a couple of interesting people, to say the least. I've also gotten into some "slightly" hairy situations as of late. I probably let down Mom and Dad by being involved in this Palace nonsense. I've already caused them enough trouble. Having another dead Kurusu...Amamiya...whatever the courts decide for a family name once that whole business gets settled...it wouldn't make anything better._

_But..._

_I can't just abandon the people around me. Whether I want to or not._

_I can't promise that taking down this teacher is going to change things at Shujin._

_Might not._

_Might make things worse._

_That isn't the point._

_For now, I'm on protection duty_

_But, I won't repeat the same mistakes I did when I was younger, Sis._

_This time...I won't lead anyone to his or her death from egotistical desires._

_I will bring everyone out alive._

_That's my promise to you. The closest thing I'll ever have to bringing you back._

He blew out the incense and laid on his bed.

His eyes got heavy. As they were closing, his mind drifted to Shadow Kamoshida.

_"Nosy bitch President with the weird hairbraids" huh?_

Tired, he drifted back to the sunset on the school top once more. Then of Shibuya.

"I'm not...going to let...him...get to you...Prez"


	9. Bloodhound, Part I

Makoto dragged herself through her house door and into a dimly-lit living room reeking with sake.  _Cheap izakaya sake._ She switched on the living room lights to reveal Sae sleeping (barely) on the couch, her work suit unbuttoned to expose a slightly brown-stained office blouse; and various things from the TV stand scattered on the floor.

_Again Sis? This is the second time this week. This is not helping your pallor._

She dropped her bag to scurry over to the kitchen to make some green tea. Her bustling in the kitchen had rustled Sae from her resting place.

"Ughh….Makoto?"

Makoto carried two mugs over to Sae. She then tipped the cup in her right. "Green tea." Then her left. "Water." She set both in Sae's hands. "I'll load on eggs so that you don't get a hangover."

"But…..I already ate out…"

"Sushi with coworkers and sake doesn't count as a balanced diet," Makoto responded, glaring at a recipe book while tempestuously mixing egg yolks. "I swear, if your liver dries up, it's entirely your fault. And then you go ahead and collapse on the couch; your sleep schedule won't get better like this." A few minutes later, she pushed onto Sae a huge portion of omelet.

" _C'mon Makoto stop….I can make it in...the mornin'..."_

"Eat."

The skin under Sae's eyes was flush. " _Makoto…pleaz….can I jus_ -"

Makoto shoved a spoonful of egg into Sae's mouth. "You can go to sleep when you finish this."

"Oh fine!  _I'll eat the dam omlet_!" Sae, as much as she has chided Makoto on manners in the past, gobbled down Makoto's omelet. She walked tipsily to Makoto, motioning her empty plate. " _You wan me to eat de crumbs, too?"_

"You may freshen up now and go to bed," Makoto said, giving the most self-satisfied look.

Sae dragged herself towards the bathroom. " _Fuggin….'koto…brat._ "

Under the sound of running showers, she looked more at the damage. There was one casualty of importance: a photo of the Nijimas, current and departed. There was now a crack in the frame, a split between the two sisters. On Makoto's side was a man in a white, collared shirt holding a panda dog bear and attempting to smile. On Sae's side was a delicate-looking woman in a long, purple dress, her hands behind her back and her hair in a spiral braid.

Makoto's chest felt heavier suddenly. She set the fallen items back in their correct places…but not before dusting them off first. She then stopped at her intended destination: under the sheets with her panda dog bear plush. A popular destination during times late into the night, where no lights were to be found.

"Buchi-kun….you're too pure for this world," Makoto doted while caressing Buchimaru's silky, well-cleaned polyester coat.

Her eyes dimmed.  _Buchi-kun….you feel so nice._

With Makoto's eyes closed, she fell into the scene. Makoto now found herself in the presence of a bright, orange light. In front of her was a dark, slender man; she couldn't see the details of this man nor could she put a bead on this man. But she could feel the warmth. Maybe not from him, but from whatever was behind him.

She kept on petting the fur, pushing the plush more into her.

The tingling warmth of the sun hitting her body made her reach out to him. She took slight steps, her right arm outreached and her heartbeat accelerating with each step. She took more steps forward, her tingling now becoming a throbbing. By the time she got within inches of where the man's face would be, her heart kept punching her ribcage. The ripples she saw were forming into jet-black curls.

She reached out to try and touch this mystery man's face. Her fingers made contact. However…

_"You've extended yourself too much, dear."_

The man uttered those words and then twisted Makoto's wrist around and tossed her over the blurry outlines of his shoulder blades.

The burning pain she started to experience now turned into an intense, dull throbbing, now throughout her body. She couldn't move, too, and this dark figure now stood over her.

Then, their noses were inches apart. Then, from the specter, a bloodcurdling screech:

_"GET UP AND DO IT AGAIN!"_

Makoto opened her eyes and found herself back under her bed covers.  _Oh no! The rally! I'm not going to have enough time to study tomorrow!_

She tumbled onto the floor to then crawl to her desk. She then slammed the power switch on her desk light and then forced herself to review for Japanese until she could fall asleep again.

* * *

4/13

Akira woke up heavier than yesterday, with the sun poking him in the eyelids. He still felt the hooves weighing down on his sternum.  _Ryuji's Providin DID only so much_ , Akira lamented.

With his rusty joints, he stepped out of his bed. He then looked down at his knees.  _Ok….I think I can move fine._  He hobbled on the creaky attic floor to the pile of clothes in the opposite corner. Though, in doing so, he had to do a double take at the shrine he hastily made last night.

 _The hell? Why is the bowl empty?_  He took a closer look.  _Licked clean too? Seriously?_

He held off further thought to change for school; he remembered the volleyball rally was today.

His legs looser now, he walked down to LeBlanc proper in his Shujin uniform. He, despite his lingering mental fog, noticed that Sojiro was busy in the back.

_As expected._

"Hmm….we'll do chocolate today," Sojiro murmured to himself.

"Uhh…Sojiro, did you take a step upstairs when I was asleep?"

Sojiro turned his head around. "No; probably just the wind rattling the wood."

Akira scratched the back of his head with his hands, which felt like they were encased in concrete.  _Wind…right._

"Now eat up already. And don't scarf it like you did the last time."

Akira looked at his phone. "Sorry, but the train is leaving soon. Going to have to."

Sojiro grunted. "Fine. It's your health, kid."

Akira furiously gobbled his curry within minutes and then took off running, lifting hastily his heavier-feeling book bag.  _Must be that much fatigue,_ Akira thought as he exited on the side streets. Akira though was more focused on making it to the line.

A few minutes of strained sprinting later, and Akira inched through the closing doors of his train. Squeezing through the stuffed cabin, he was lucky enough to find an open seat.  _A good thing so, since I don't think I would be able to stand on the train with my bag on my shoulder._  Akira then began to open his bag.  _I can't be imagining things; my bag feels a LOT heavier. Just what is even in my…_

Akira's eyes widened. An uninvited, black, furry guest tagged along.  _And still sleeping too._  A closer look revealed its white muzzle vibrating gently. Suddenly it rustled more, and its eyes opened to reveal blue irises. Its head turned to meet Akira and its long, slender, white-tipped tail was now erect.

"Meow…meow….man what a nap!" it yelled. "Now about that deal. Do you know how…"

Akira frantically shut his bag. He panted heavily.  _what the….I….can't be….was that talking real?...and…it sounded familiar._

His guest thrashed violently, as a trapped animal would. Akira, now lured in, opened the bag again.

"Hey, you think you can screw me over after saving your ass in Palace and I wouldn't find you!?"

"…Morgana?"

"How dare you leave-"

Akira zipped up his bag and desperately buried it in his torso. "Morgana, you idiot!" Akira said under his breath. "Can't you keep quiet? All these people are going to freak out if they see a talking cat!" He looked up, fear in his eyes, only to see a few perked ears in the stuffed car train.

A kindergarten student, who sat with his father across from Akira, hopped in his seat. "Daddy, I think I saw a cat meow in that kid's bag!"

"Nonsense," the father replied. "He's just a regular normal teenager. Though….I guess I DID hear a meow from somewhere. Oh well…"

"I don't believe it," Akira uttered to himself. "How…"

Morgana poked his snout out slightly. "I can't say how that's possible. But based on how long I've been in this world, then it might be that just those who visit the other world can hear me."

'Other world? You mean the one with the Castles?"

"Right."

"That's so, huh?" Akira replied while slinking back into his seat "Well then, I guess you being a cat…"

Akira's heart sunk.  _A cat! Shit….I can't bring a cat onto the school premises!_

_But…I can't just abandon Morgana now on the subway!_

He stared down into the hole Morgana made. "Morgana, can you just bear with me for today?"

"What do you mean, 'bear'?! I've had to 'bear' your shi..."

Akira zipped his bag. "Play nice; I have to go to school, but if I'm discovered with a pet, I would definitely be in trouble. And for you, I can't guarantee I'd be able to keep you at home if my guardian knew, either by himself or from the school, that I was keeping a stray cat."

"Who you callin' a stray?" Morgana said while thrashing in the bag. "You rude ass-"

Akira pressed on his bag. "Play. NICE. And I say 'stray' since that's what people are going to conclude when a random cat walks anywhere. Especially without RF tags. Do you know what happens when someone can't keep strays?"

From the bag came a whimper. "For some reason, I do."

 _Wait, how does he know...Whatever. Back to the conversation at hand._ "Well...good. I've going to have to store you away. Probably in my gym locker. If you want to talk about Palaces or whatever that compelled you to come over here, you need to wait until the end of the day. And stay quiet too."

"...Is the locker at least comfortable?"

"Uhhh...it's  _snug_."

* * *

The rally was fifteen minutes in, but to Makoto, who sat by the sidelines, it felt like an hour. She stared at the scoreboard. Teachers: 13, Students: 2. She sighed and did her best emulation of the Thinker.

_Did I rack my brain planning stuff like this?_

Across the way towards the back of the gymnasium were Ryuji and Akira, sitting back. Akira had his phone out.  _Probably playing a game. I'm somewhat envious._  She looked at his curls.  _I have the sudden urge to pet Buchi-kun now…_

Kamoshida jumped up to spike. Another point for the teachers.

Makoto groaned.  _I'm just ashamed I didn't suggest something better._

Across the way:

Akira had his crosswords app out. "Four words…for administer….'Mete' perhaps?"

Ryuji for some reason thought chewing on a toothpick he found in his gym pockets would alleviate his boredom. "This is boring as hell." He slunk down on the gymnasium wall. "I almost feel sorry for some of the guys on the student team."

"Even that one guy I overheard on the way to school that thought that the rally would be a good way to observe Kamoshida's spiking technique?" Akira said, still staring at his phone.

"Even  _that_  dude."

Akira figured he'd at least watch a bit before going back to his phone. On the teacher's side: a bunch of regular school teachers and coaches mixed in, with Kamoshida as the lead spiker. On the student's side: the volleyball team, whose faces spanning from scared to apathetic. The students scrambling all over their side of the field, attempting to meet Kamoshida's attacks.  _Jeez, they're like a bunch of people stranded in a sea full of sharks._  On the sidelines: an assortment of students, mostly female, swooning over Kamoshida carrying the game. Makoto sat on a chair, leaning fully on her hands so that her knuckles covered her mouth. Her furled eyebrows though told him enough. At the corner closest to them was Ann, also seated, eyeing nervously at her blonde, bushy pigtails.

"Still sticks out…Hasn't changed a bit," Ryuji commented.

"You know Takamaki-san?" Akira replied.

"Eh…we went to the same middle school."

"Same middle school? Were you two close?"

"Close enough, I guess?"

"You guess?" Akira chortled.

Ryuji then combed his dirty blonde hair his fingers, and then looked at back at Ann, still nervously preoccupied with her twin pigtails. "Yeah. Close enough."

 _Everyone has their secrets, I suppose…._ Akira mused. His eyes then darted to Makoto, still ruminating on her chair. Though, not for long, for she broke her pose to dart her eyes towards her distant observer.

_Kurusu-kun, stop taunting me with your curly hair…_

The ball was on Kamoshida's side. One of the regular teachers set up the shot; Kamoshida took the kill. He jumped up readily and sent down the ball with lightning speed. A boy with black hair and an unassuming presence attempted to block it, but got knocked onto the ground.

Makoto, seeing him knocked down, now felt springy, ready to launch off her seat and drag him to the sideline. The boy though got back up.

On the teacher's side, the coaches were laughing. "Nice toss," Kamoshida chimed while giving a high-five to the first-year Biology teacher, Mr. Tanimura. "You still got it coach!" Tanimura said.

"Thanks! Let's go for one more!" Kamoshida responded, high as a kite. Akira saw him take another glance at Takamaki, only for her to turn away, grasping one of her buns. He then noticed a scowl and flaring nostrils for a brief moment before his game face came back.

Everyone readied for another round. The black-haired boy though didn't bother, still wanting to remain in the back. He then took a few steps back more, his head noticeably down.

 _What is that kid trying to do?_  Akira wondered.  _Get a ball to the face?_

Another chain of setups on the teacher's side.

Akira then remembered the incident with Morgana. "Hey, Ryuji, we probably meet up after the search and talk about something. Something... _weird_  happened today. With Mor-"

Then, another of Kamoshida's attacks, and as a result, another set of starry-eyed girls on the side, cheering at Kamoshida's raw power. The ball whizzed through the air to meet that acquiescent kid's face. After the sound of the rebound, the boy fell back, oddly with an eased expression.

Kamoshida then went under the volleyball net and rushed over to meet the boy. "Hey, are you alright, Mishima? Somebody take him to the nurse's!"

Makoto rushed over. "I can take him, Kamoshida-sensei. He seems to be able to stand up."  _Barely; though now, this allows me to confirm something, now that I think about it. A shame it must be at a student's expense._ Without any help, she dragged the disoriented Mishima out of the gym door.

"This, unfortunately, might be our time to exit and start our search," Akira commented. "I mean, while everyone is distracted that is. Don't want to draw too much attention on leaving."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. Man, what an abusive d-bag, pretending to care about Mishima like that."

The two then walked quietly to the gymnasium door to exit out through the space Makoto made. Turning opposite from Makoto's attention, Akira took another look back at the net to see Takamaki staring at him, only to turn away.

* * *

Dragging Mishima into the infirmary wasn't too much for Makoto. Heading into the window-lit, sterile room, Makoto laid a now-alert Mishima onto a spare bed. The nurse was not in yet, though Makoto expected her to be in at any moment.

"Are you alright, Mishima-kun? That volleyball hit seemed quite hard."

"Yeah...I'm fine," Mishima replied, still having a circular, red imprint on his face. "My face is a bit tingly, but...I feel alright."

 _As much as I am ashamed of this, I'm relieved the nurse isn't here yet._ "Hold on, Mishima-kun; I can get some ice in the meantime." The fridge was obvious enough, though, the record storage wasn't. Unfortunately (or fortunately, to some) the school was reluctant about digitizing records; for what reason, Makoto couldn't tell from the council-faculty exchanges. But, they were probably here somewhere. She had to try.

Makoto walked back from the fridge with an ice-pack. "Here, Mishima-kun. It will ward off the swelling."

"...T-thanks."

"Now, you probably should keep it on your face for at least 15 minutes."  _At least, until I'm done._

"15? That's not necess-" Mishima then noticed Makoto's overwhelming, stern expression. She then motioned towards the ice-pack. "...F..Fine," Mishima then said, as he placed the ice-pack on his face.

 _Perfect_. "Remember to keep it on your face." She then walked silently to the cabinets, which were back on the other side of the room.  _Four shelves in total._ She then slowly opened the shelves, from left to right, to see how they were ordered. Her eyes turned to Mishima's file.  _Let's see your history then._ A lift of the file with the tips of her fingers. Then, slow and deliberate scrolling reveals the gruesome details: fractures in his hands; sprains, severe swelling. Then a note: "Suppressing; orders from superior."  _Suppressing? It can't be-_

 _"_ Uh, Nijima-san?"

Makoto, in a panic, shoved Mishima's file back in, turned around and closed the cabinet. Luckily, Mishima still had the ice-pack over his face.

"Uh, what was that noise?"

Makoto relaxed herself. "Nothing. Just me knocking into something by accident."

"Ok...well, should I keep this thing on? I think I feel better already."

"I insist."

"But-"

"I, INSIST."

"Alright! Ok!"

Makoto then turned back to the drawers to scan once more. She then remembered she brought her phone on her today.  _Good thing so, since I need some form of evidence. If I remember how to operate the phone camera here first..._ A few snaps later, she turned to the file for "Shiho Suzui." Finding it only revealed the same conditions listed, and more: Swelling and lacerations in the upper thighs and torso. And once again, the same note: "Suppressing; orders from superior."

Another volleyball member: Suppressing.

Another: Suppressing.

Ten files later, and Makoto felt her heart sunk. She sat on the nearest hospital bed.  _This is turning nasty. I would never imagine there'd be a conspiracy at play here...Though, now, it's making more sense. And to think, what the nurse meant by "superior"? Is Kobayakawa involved? A superintendent?_

She turned to find Mishima still holding the ice-pack on his face. "Mishima-kun, might I see your face for a minute?"

Mishima then feebly moved the bag to show the swelling from before mitigated, the redness from before gone from his cheeks, even though he had some small cuts around his cheek.

"You seem ok," Makoto commented. "I would still wait for the nurse to come...but it's not going to send you home for today."

Mishima seemed to get worse after she said that. "O-oh...I see."

"Mishima-kun...something tells me you wanted to go home today."

"I'm tired. Just...really tired. Unwell." He paused, his voice cracking. "I'm...I don't feel so good."

 _You're scared. And now, I understand why._ " Perhaps you should go home today."

Mishima's eyes lit up a bit. "Yeah...perhaps I should. But-"

"Just leave right when school ends. Don't talk to anyone."

"Yeah." Mishima smiled weakly. "I guess I'll do that."

"Well, I should get back. I am the President after all."

"I suppose so."

She headed towards the door, grimacing.  _Yes...what a fine president you are, when you can't do anything useful._

"Nijima-san, take care of yourself. Everyone's anxious about nationals." He paused. "Kamoshida included. I hope you won't cause a disruption."

Makoto stopped at the door to turn around. "Just focus on recuperating. The nurse should come soon." She then opened the door and headed back into the hallway.

* * *

The duo found themselves back in Akira's classroom, Class D, to check off one potential confession based on what Ryuji remembered from the Castle. In the corner of the room was a volleyball player, wrapped up in a heavy amount of arm bandages and staring at a roster posted on the chalkboard.

Akira still had a creeping sense of futility regarding their endeavors, but he had promised Ryuji after all. Akira poked the player's back to draw his attention. That, however, startled him more than expected.

"W-What?" the timid player replied.

"Excuse me, might I ask how you got those injuries?" Akira replied.

"Wait a minute, you're that transfer student. No surprise you're skipping out," he replied, with a noticeable unease. The player then noticed Sakamoto. "Y-you too, Sakamoto? What do you guys want?"

"Well, I guess I was trying to be polite, but I'll be more direct," Akira answered. "If Kamoshida is abusing you, say so now. We won't tell anyone."

"T-that's ridiculous! What are you talking about?"

"Dude you should take him on his word!" Ryuji yelled. "Those injuries aren't normal! Kamoshida did that to you, didn't he?"

"This is ridiculous! Just...leave me alone!"

 _Crap, that didn't turn out so well._ Akira then dragged Ryuji, who seemed intent on badgering this second-year, out of his homeroom. "Ryuji, I don't think he's our guy."

"I'm still surprised he's still covering for that asshole despite that screwed up arm of his!" Ryuji then looked at the time on his phone. "Damnit, we only have so much time before the game ends and everyone leaves."

"We can split up," Akira replied. "You have my number; just keep me updated on where to go."

"Sounds like a plan," Ryuji said while nodding. "Your next best bet is a third year on 3-C. Takahashi is his last name."

"Got it."

Akira had then walked up to the third floor. More students were creeping into the hallways, as other rally activities wrapped up.

Right when Akira walked up the stairs, though, Makoto crept in, just missing Akira by a few seconds.  _I suppose what I CAN do at this point is virtually plead and hope that for some person, their pain and suffering outweighs their fear._   _I'll just try to do the same thing before to keep things discreet. I'll need to do this carefully since the threshold for whistleblowing to an authority figure outside the school will be higher._ She went to the timid volleyball player at the chalkboard, now panting heavily after his "interrogation."

"Kitano-kun, may I-"

"Miss President!"

A polite pause.  _The bandages are thicker today than previous days I've seen him._  "Kitano-kun, may I ask how practice is going? I hope it's not too-"

"Nope! Everything's fine! J-just tell Kobayakawa that I won't disappoint him!"

"Kobayakawa? But why would I do-"

"I'm sorry Miss President, but I have to prepare for practice soon!" He bowed quickly and walked briskly out of the classroom.

_Somehow, he's more evasive today. Just what triggered him to act so weird-_

Makoto then heard the whispers around her:

"Why is the Student Council President here?"

"Probably just to butt in like she usually does."

"No kidding; though, to be fair, Kobayakawa probably is nervous and wants Kamoshida to win. Makes sense for him to send her to keep tabs on everyone."

"Yeah, I just wish though she didn't have to be a Goody Two-Shoes about it."

She snarled.  _Goody Two-Shoes?! And do these students know how loud they're be-_

 _"_ Oh well. Better her butting in than the transfer student. Seriously, why is HE asking about if Kitano's abused instead of, I dunno, holding someone up. I just want Shujin to win already!"

Her eyes widened.  _Transfer student? Why is Kurusu-kun asking about this? How much does he know about this?_ She then reached out to the nearest student. "Where did the transfer student go, by chance?"

"Up the stairs to the third floor it looks like. Did he stab someone?"

She grinned. "No. I just need to talk to him, that's all." ... _For a long while._

* * *

For Akira, 3-C didn't seem promising either. His next target, Takahashi, seemed like a stereotypical jock, talking to another third year with a volleyball near his waist and his chest puffed like a quail. Walking towards him, Akira could hear the conversation he was having:

"...Cleaning up after the rally is going to be such a pain." Takahashi then noticed Akira was now right next to him, arms in his sweatpants pockets. "You got something to say, transfer student?" He then said, in a haughtier, more assertive tone.

_Overcompensation…yawn._

_"_ I do in fact. I'm wondering why you're trying to cosplay as a pirate during school hours."

"Huh?"

Akira took off his glasses to rub his eyes. "The injuries. Why your right eye is wrapped up in multiple layers of gauze."

"...It's from practice."

"Hey, I know this dude," the other third-year interjected, glaring intensely at Akira. "He's that transfer student that hangs out with Sakamoto."

"Great," the Quail replied. "Another snoop? Look kid, nationals are coming up. The stakes are high; of course Kamoshida has to train us hard. It's just his dedication at work here."

Akira adjusted his glasses. "That's corporal punishment; is your worldview so warped from the head injuries you've received during practice?"

"S-Shuddup! Like you'd know what corporal punishment even means!" the Quail squawked.

"Dude, be careful," his friend chimed. "He might just set off and attack us. I even heard he carries a knife around."

Akira's eyes dimmed. "No, you just probably hover around internet forums too much."

"Now, now Kurusu-kun, I hope you're not causing trouble." It was a familiar, dignified...and slightly overbearing voice coming from his left.

Akira turned to meet his de facto observer with a soft grin. "Not at all, Prez. I was just asking why Takahashi-senpai looks like he just went through a war zone."

"We're just going to exit, Miss President," Takahashi replied, now with a sense of urgency. "We won't let Kobayakawa and the others down." He then exited down the hallway with his friend. Something Akira took notice of.

"Well Prez, now we're alone. What do you want?"

"Student Council Room. Third Floor. Now," Makoto replied.

Akira sighed. "Is it that important? I need to-"

"Yes. Please come at this moment," she replied earnestly and with a fixed glare.

Akira didn't forget about Ryuji, particularly since the rally was going to end soon. But her earnestness was another, bigger can of worms.  _I rather not force her to use the "Student Council President" card._  "Fine. Make it quick."

"We should come separately. I can guess what you're trying to do. Which is why you don't need any more attention on top of being the 'infamous transfer student."

"Fine. I'll circle around quick."

The two separated, taking separate paths through the school until both arrived separately at the Student Council Room on the third floor, just a few minutes apart. Akira appeared last in the room, not forgetting to lock the door or to leave the lights off.

"Shoot," Akira uttered.

"What do you know about the volleyball team and their injuries?" Makoto said, laying back by the trophy rack.

 _Shit, straight to the point. These stupid ass rumors don't help me one bit! What do I say?; I can't just mention to her about the Castle. No way in hell. And I can't bring Ryuji into this. This whole business needs to be kept as contained as possible. I should, unfortunately, humor her slightly. She might insist anyway, however. I have to try._ "That they, on average, looked screwed up near beyond recognition. That they cover up for potential abuse, most likely from their coach, Kamoshida."

Makoto cocked her head to the side.  _Just in a couple days. I would commend him openly if he did it subtly._ "What else?"

 _Sexual harassment? Possible, but I would be giving too much already._ "That's it. Everyone else seems to ignore them. It made me curious."

Makoto sighed and paused. "Is it just you asking around?"

"I'm doing this for a friend. I'm not telling who. But to answer this question, yes. He's too scared to ask."

"Fine. I won't ask you to name your 'friend.'" Makoto replied.

Akira looked bemused. "So what, Miss President? Are you going to tell me all of this is a waste of time and ask me to stop?"

Her face softened. "I just don't want you to get hurt. You might end up in a worse position than you are."

"You know my record. Can't really imagine anything worse that could happen," Akira replied.

Makoto eyes scrunched as she walked towards Akira. "Akira-kun, don't give me that lazy attempt at indifference. Kamoshida already has you in his crosshairs. I saw that spiel of yours with him the other day when you were running late. As much as I was...amused by it, such shows of insolence only paint a bigger target on your back. And a teacher like Kamoshida could make it impossible for you to have any future." She wrung her hands. "Especially with faculty support."

Akira raised an eyebrow. "Faculty support? Don't tell me faculty members are actually supporting this abuse."

"Sadly, it's very likely that is the case."

Akira continued, his hands on his waist and his head off to the side. "Prez, who's covering for him?"

She stared off to the side, her arms crossed. "I probably shouldn't say it, but I do know in the most reduced case, it's someone higher than a teacher...maybe Kobayakawa. I'd hedge my bets on him at the very least."

 _Notwithstanding her openness, she still makes me uneasy in more ways than one. "_ And him being the one you answer to, that raises possibilities. You could be trying to keep your personal investigation hush-hush."  _I hope you are._  "Or you're trying to contain this as best as you can. On his orders."

She sighed. "It's reasonable that you're suspicious of me. But, at the very least, if I'm telling you to stop, it's because I'm doing it not to protect the school's name, but to look out for you."

Akira took a minute to process. And _here I thought what I saw before between Kamoshida and Kobayakawa in the hallway was brown-nosing. Maybe at worse complicity. But an active cover-up? Damn. And now...it seems like she's going to be caught up in the middle._ He then gritted his molars.  _No, she, the 'nosy ass braided Class President' already is._  Akira's mind drifted to his last time in the Castle. He then spoke, while hard time looking Makoto in the eye.  _This might not work, but I have to lead her away gently. And fast._ "There's always something I can go back to." His mind for a moment drifted to the garage at home, full of parts, and that brought him a little glimmer of self-delusion. "I'm just the transfer student on probation, and you're the Student Council President that's going to take entrance exams. You have a lot on your plate. There's no point in worrying-"

"Be quiet. You may tell yourself that, but I believe that anyone can be more than just a delinquent transfer student, including you." She closed the distance. "Do you also want me to talk about your national exams from last year?"

"...No, Nijima-san." Akira felt her presence squeezing his throat. "You don't need to. But that's just the past."

"A past that can be your present again."

_I...cant._

"But at this rate, you won't be in a position to reach that," Makoto added. "That would be most unfortunate."

His mind drifted back to times past, locked deep in the back of his mind; of dark fields, impromptu cattle prods, and kilowatts of self-gratification; and of cop cars, cold, concrete cells, and the face of a wrinkly, haggard man talking to him on the other side of a plexiglass window. And, in the end, it made him disgusted in places and excited in others."

_I...shouldn't._

His glasses started to feel heavy, so he took them off. "That's the past you just want to see. I can't be the virtuous, obedient student like you imagine me, because I never was that. And I never will be. If it makes you any better, I'm not going to try to administer vigilante justice or just try and ruin Kamoshida's day since I don't like him. I'm just doing a favor for a friend. Nothing special. Anything good that comes from it, fine. But I'm not going to search for it." He then paused, somewhat taken aback.  _That should have been a simple response. Why does it feel...personal?_

_Futhermore...why do I feel a bit like a wimpy cunt when I say it?_

Makoto resigned herself, pulling her head down so that her head was only a few inches from his breastbone. Then, she smiled weakly. "Mind if you hear me out?"

"Sure."

"You remind me of someone that I knew. He was a terrible liar."

Akira's heart stopped.

The intercom then announced the end of the day, and the students were forming in mass outside.

 _My chance._  "I should go." Akira unlocked the door hastily to leave.

"I wasn't finished!" Makoto cried out. She was too late though. When she opened the door to give chase, he disappeared into the river of students outside.

* * *

Akira walked as fast as he could out of the building and to the courtyard, the courtyard being the only place where he could get a drink on late notice.

"Why not give her a detailed itinerary while you're at it, Ren-ren," he muttered to himself between exasperated breaths. "It'll be slightly better than what you just did back there.'

He took a deep breath and sipped the Dr. Salt Neo dispensed. "Damn her. Ryuji and I are kind of screwed already. She doesn't have to join the club."

He then remembered Ryuji and opened his phone:

 **Akira: "** Courtyard. We can talk there before we head off."

 _"_ Besides, what does she want me to be? Someone that can just will things to be whatever I want? I already tried that, and I'm not going back to that arrogant, destructive mindset."

The malaise in his chest and the flashes of THAT bald, sunglasses-wearing asshole in the suit said otherwise. He figured he needed another sip.

"Can I talk to you for a second?"

Akira turned around to see Ann from his class walking up to him. "What is it?"

"It'll be quick. I need to know what's up with you. You know, with you lying about why you were late and all."

"Just Kawakami trying to make me look good. I'm...not good with subways," Akira replied, laughing it off.

"Rrright...and let's also add too that weird rumor about you."

Akira groaned. 'Which one? I don't have all day, but I can say it's probably not true."

"Hey!" Ryuji cried, coming into scene. "What do you even want with him anyway, Ann?"

Ann's neutral outlook quickly turned into a furled gaze directed at Ryuji. "Right back at you. You're not even in the same class."

"...We just got to know each other, that's all," Ryuji replied.

 _Expertly handled,_ Akira voiced in his head.

Ann resumed. "Now, what are you guys going to do to Mr. Kamoshida?"

"What? Oh...I see. Gotcha. You're all buddy-buddy with him after all."

"What the hell does that even mean?" Ann replied, her head more forward towards Ryuji.

"I mean that you'd dump his ass if you knew what he's doing behind your back!" Ryuji cried back.

Akira couldn't help but smile at the proceedings.  _Ryuji, you idiot. You obviously weren't paying attention enough to her._

Ryuji sighed. "You wouldn't get it anyway."

Ann recomposed herself. "Anyways, this is a fair warning. Nobody's going to help you."

"I noticed," Akira retorted. "Rumors do that. Besides, we aren't planning anything."

Her voice now was drained of any life in it. "...Couldn't help but try, just in case. That's all." Ann then walked off.

"Why she gotta be so aggressive?" Ryuji complained.

"She seems annoyed," Akira replied. "And hey, don't ask me, you're her old middle school friend."

"Pfft. She's been like this since middle school."

An idea then fizzled Akira's mind. "So, has that unrequited love of yours been like that since middle school as well?"

"That's not what we've been talking about!" Ryuji replied, turning away momentarily. "Look, about Kamoshida. Any luck?"

"Take a wild guess," Akira deadpanned.

"Well, you're in luck. Guy by the name Mishima. I found another first year on the team who spilled the beans. He just joined, and he's receiving a lot of 'special coaching'. Now that I think about it, the bruises every day give him anyway."

"So you think if he's new, he's-"

"-Our best chance to rat out our favorite gym teacher."

Akira closed his eyes and bobbed his head to the side, arms crossed. "We can give it a shot. You probably are onto something; a new guy like him might not be so hopelessly complicit. It's a stretch but...let's check him out."

Ryuji suddenly went alert. "Wait, I think I see him walking away from the gym. Guess he's not going to practice today after the rally."

"Probably a good time to ask him then."

**"Oy, Sakamoto! I'm talking to your nosy ass!"**

The duo turned to see a group of marginally athletic, overtly displeased students walking towards them.

"Shit!" Sakamoto said through his teeth. "They're pissed again, are they?"

"Ryuji, what did you do while I was gone?" Akira wondered.

"They're...the old track team. Seems like word of me looking for dirt on Kamoshida spread already."

"Why the hell would they care?"

Ryuji continued to whisper. "It's my fault. That whole mess I had before with Kamoshida took away their shot at competing in the championships. They...don't like me shitting on any chance Shujin has at sports."

Akira looked back at the approaching crowd of several athletes to see them scowling still.

"Yo, Akira, get going after Mishima. I'll be fine."

"Wait are you sure?" Akira said wide-eyed.

"They're not gonna hit me. They're just going to chew me out. Just go already! I'll see if I can't give it another shot somewhere else, ok?"

 _Damnit._ "Ok then. I'll try to see what I can get out of Mishima then. Take care then."

* * *

Akira left Ryuji behind; he caught up with Mishima in the main hallway. "Mishima-kun? Spare a second?"

Mishima swiveled around. Upon seeing his face, Akira had to do a double take. The volleyball marks were weeping, only held back with some dinky band-aids. "I...don't feel too well. I'm heading home early. What do you need?" he answered, his shoulders getting noticeably heavier.

For Akira, the blood pooling on the blades of Mishima's cheek was distracting. "I'm sorry, are you alright?" Akira replied. "Is that from the volleyball rally?"

"...Yeah...I'm just...not good."

 _I should be on task. But...that bruising..._ "You're a first year. I'm guessing you just joined; Kamoshida shouldn't be abusing you during practice."

"Abuse...I…."

Down the hallway:

Makoto, giving up for today on shooing away the "infamous transfer student," walked towards the front of the school, lost in thought. No _meetings on my agenda. I need to do some Kanji exercises at home, and the library, unfortunately, lacks an in-depth text on ancient kanji and dialects. I suppose I'll consult the internet on this one._

Passing the main hallway to head on towards the lockers to change, she saw a familiar sight. Something told her to listen and observe for a minute.

"Just be honest with me. Is he covering up? I need you to tell me? Please?" she heard from the transfer student.

"...It's no use. You should give up. Proving that he's abusing us is meaningless."

Akira held his hand in front of him. "Wait, hold on a min-"

"Mishima!"

The cry to Akira's left was from Kamoshida, who walked jauntily towards them. "Practice is the other way."

"I feel sick, sir," Mishima replied.

"Sick? Maybe you're better off quitting then. That type of attitude is not going to help your crappy form unless you show up to practice."

"I'm pretty sure you don't improve anything if you feel sick," Akira retorted.

Kamoshida snorted. "How would you know? You don't look athletic at all. Probably never ran in your life."

Akira smiled, thinking back to the marathon runs his dad forced him to run along. "You'd be surprised."

 _That grin again,_ Makoto mused.  _Why does Akira have to be so smug at the flick of a switch? Still, Kamoshida shaming Mishima like that is inappropriate._ She then turned around the corner to step into the fray. "Excuse me, Kamoshida-sensei. Not to be rude, but as the student who dragged Mishima to the infirmary, I would side with Mishima here. He shouldn't go to practice today."

"Ah, Nijima-san. Ultra-careful as always, I see. But you ARE the Student Council President. Not the mom to everyone on the volleyball team who gets a little bruise, and especially not to Mishima here."

 _This is concerning,_  Makoto lamented.  _And here I thought I kept things discreet enough with the room method. I'll need to rethink my overall approach. But first..._

 _"_ At the very least with Mishima here, being incoherent constitutes a trip to a hospital as soon as possible to rule out a concussion. I hope you would show the same amount of understanding you had on the court this morning with the suggestion for the nurse as you would with a doctor's examination."

"Tch. Nijima-san, do you see him stumbling now? Mishima, you having trouble walking around?"

"...N-no..."

"Then it's settled. And as for you-" He stared at Akira. "Didn't the principal tell you to get into line? Any more trouble from you and you'll be gone from this school for sure. Now Mishima, you coming or not?"

Mishima didn't bother to keep his head up. "-I'll go."

"Mishima-kun, this would a big mistake," Makoto commented. "I would advise-"

"-You to come to practice," Kamoshida interrupted. "Nijima-san, more from you and I'll file a complaint to Kobayakawa myself. Everyone's anxious, especially with these stupid rumors roaming around. You're better off focusing instead of babying others. Shujin Academy is a place where people aspire to learn. To improve. Unworthy students like Mophead and Mama's Boy next to you don't have any right to be here. Get with the program!"

"...Aspire, eh?" Akira uttered.

"...Huh?" Kamoshida quipped.

"What does it say about aspirations when an Olympic gold medalist like yourself ends up in a school instead of a professional training position or a competitor with a sponsorship?" Akira then took off his glasses to clean them, his dead black eyes staring directly at Kamoshida's beady ones. "A simple search can tell you your volleyball contemporaries make triple digit salaries. Some of them are high profile enough to be married to celebrities in the States."

Makoto reflexively kicked Akira in the shins and whispered through the edges of her mouth, "Akira, don't."

Akira didn't budge. "YOU on the other hand, are content with showing off your 'nice' spike on volleyball students like Mishima here." He began to step forward, the image of Shadow Kamoshida with Ann and the comment and his delusion about Makoto flaring in his mind. "And the girls-"

"What he's saying is that we'll be letting you go now," Makoto said, still maintaining her neutral expression while twisting Akira's wrist behind his back to hold him back.  _I can't believe you've forced me to use my Aikido training to get you to stop. Sensei would be ashamed._

"Just don't get in the way of my practice." Kamoshida began to walk before staring back at Mishima. "Now, Mishima, are you coming?"

"Yes, sir. A minute." As Kamoshida walked away in the direction of the gym, he pivoted to Akira, his head somehow drooping even further than before. "Don't be a pain. You don't know what I'm going through. What the others are going through. All of our parents are in on it too." He rubbed his eyes, accidentally smearing the congealed blood on his cheek. "I don't even care about the nationals anymore. But my parents do. And I can't speak back." The tears were pooling in the cracks of his eyes. "That guy, Sakamoto, from last year, tried that, and look where it got him." He then ran off, still rubbing at his eyes.

For a while, Akira and Makoto stood speechless. Akira then looked at his left hand, which was red as a beet. "You could have gone easier on my hand, Miss President."

Makoto now looked down. "Fragile, hypermasculine egos like Kamoshida's are occupational hazards."

"Much as that is true," Akira replied, still trying to loosen his hand up, "Subtlety isn't my thing. People like Kamoshida deserve the head-to-head approach."

Makoto smiled weakly. "Like I said before, Akira-kun, you remind me of someone who was a terrible liar. You really aren't doing this for a friend. It's quite obvious."

"Nijima-san, can you just let it go al-"

Makoto had a creeping smile. "That person I'm talking about, he always wanted to be the hero. He also didn't believe in subtlety. Preferred to rush blindly into situations, and to lie to others as a way to brush it off. He thought it was nobler that way. I bet you're sort of like that, even though you say otherwise."

Akira's voice got softer. "Well, what about this guy? Why bring him up?"

Her eyes were fixed on his. With a closed hand on her chest and mounting somberness in her voice, she answered: "You REALLY do remind me of him."

"Makoto...I...what..."

"He's also not around anymore. I just don't want that to be the case again." She turned away to hide her rosiness. "Also, I'll let that attempt at first-name basis slide for now. See you later. "

Akira figured he'd at least not pry. Then, he remembered:  _Shit, Morgana. I should let him...her out. But first...I'm tired of curry. Some quick bread loaves for both of us before we go._  He then walked upstairs to get some of the leftover plain rolls from lunch hour. He walked over to the food stall, though, only to find Morgana in the back rummaging through the bread.

"MORGANA! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?"

"Getting food; better than being locked into a sweaty gym locker. Besides I wanted to explore."

"How are you even-It's locked for a reason!"

"A thief's handbook, scrub." Morgana then leaped onto Akira's side of the stall with a plain roll in its mouth. "When you're ready to be serious about my proposition instead of forgetting about me in a cramped, musky locker, I'll be there. Don't worry: I can find where you are. The scent of coffee in your hair is a dead giveaway." He then scurried off.

Akira grunted. "You asshole. Wait...my locker!" Akira then dashed to his gym locker. Somehow, Morgana picked the lock to his locker from the inside; the door was open, and Akira was just lucky no one other than the cat was snooping inside his bag.

After a few minutes, he was changed and ready to go, his gym clothes padding his plastic and metal mementos so that he couldn't see them. And yet, as he hoisted his bag on his back, he still felt ashamed, frightened even. He was fixated by his left hand, which still tender from Makoto's manhandling.  _She wants more of me, but all I think of now after looking at Mishima are all of the ways I can combine the junk in my bag to create things to main others with._

_She shouldn't want more of me._


	10. Bloodhound, Part II

The sun now colored the courtyard with a myriad of reds. Ann, now back in her normal school clothes; and her friend, Shiho, sat on their usual spot, the bench by the drink dispenser.

"I-I haven't been sleeping well lately. Too many things keep popping up when I close my eyes." She then retracted her hands upwards towards her skirt, as if she were attempting to hold on desperately to something. "What will happen if we win nationals. What happens if we don't. Whether I should be on the starting line-up." She then buried herself in her hands, turtling herself in the hope she would find a brief break from "close" observation.

Ann had a beaming smile ready. "Don't worry. Just have confidence in yourself! Your skill is being recognized, and it's due to you working the hardest!"

Shiho sighed. "I hope so. It's that, or nothing."

Ann's eye drifted to Shiho's hastily bandaged, braced knee. "Has the swelling gone down yet?"

"A little. It's fine," she replied sheepishly. "Practice is just a bit intense."

Ann turned silent. After a while, Shiho came out of her shell for a moment. "By the way, how's Ryuji?"

Ann's eyes became harsh to the sight. "Dumb as ever. It's like he's trying to hover over me now. It's kinda reminding me of-"

"Middle school?" Shiho said, giddy with mischief.

"…Y-yeah?"

"Oh boys…" She then touched Ann's hand, smiling slightly. "I think you have a knight in shining armor."

The sunset couldn't smear out the blush on Ann's pasty skin. "W-what are you getting at?"

"Oh nothing….I'm just still holding out, that's all."

"Are you kidding me!? Still?"

Shiho started to giggle. "He still has his hair dyed blonde from last year. Of course I do!"

Ann pouted, arms crossing her chest. "It was a friendly gesture. Besides, I'm not into that cheesy stuff, anyway."

Shiho shook her head. "You're just dense, like him. It's sweet."

Ann though couldn't help but smile though seeing Shiho giggling again. It was short-lived however. Mishima shuffled over to Suzui, back hunched. "Sorry to interrupt, Suzui. Um, Mr. Kamoshida wants to see you after practice at the PE faculty office."

Shiho was panic-stricken. "What does he want?"

Mishima looked away. "He didn't say."

Shiho then looked away too, her smile having evaporated. "Ann, I…"

"I-it'll be fine! Probably just him going through the roster one last time. He has been anxious lately."

Shiho's eyes darted for a while, only to close. Shiho began to smile, impressed by how well Ann could lie. "Yeah, you're right."

Ann, with her right hand on her hip, pumped her left. "Yup, good luck!"

With that bit of delusion, Shiho took her leave, limping.

Out of sight of Shiho, Ann relaxed her face and sighed. "Good thing I had my phone on vibrate." A look at her phone showed 5 missed calls from "K."

She grimaced. "Pig," she muttered. Walking out of the school and to the station, "Hello….sorry, I'm not feeling well. We can't meet today…"

* * *

Akira had gotten the hang of this "subway" thing, getting used to the serpentine ways of navigation needed for the large rush hour Shibuya crowds.

Normally, the people in these crowds would blend into a grey, homogeneous blob. This time, though as Akira headed down into the subway, he noticed a familiar blondie screaming on the phone.

"Will you please give a rest!? I told you, I'm not feeling up to it," Ann screamed, yelling directly into the phone receiver.

Akira stood in place, looking over her right shoulder and lending an ear. On the other line, he could faintly hear a man say, "I have needs. It's that, or I crack the whip on Suzui." He then saw her tense up. "Wait what…that's not what you promised! And you call yourself a teacher?" Her voice then cracked. "This has nothing to do with Shiho!" She then crouched to the floor, burying her hands in her hair.

Akira then stared at the subway ceiling, grunting.  _Damnit_ , he said, cursing himself. He plodded towards Ann, but Ann caught on. She stood back up, taking a few steps and ready to push Akira back. "Wait, were you listening the whole time? You know that's rude, right?"

"Hey, I didn't do it on purpose, now," Akira said, put on notice.

Ann's fire went out quickly however. "…No, I was out of line. Sorry…" Her then became mortified. "How much did you hear?"

 _No point in lying…_ "Enough to know it's about…Shiho. Your friend perhaps."

She trailed off. "Shiho…"

"….Sorry."

"No!" she cried. "It's nothing!" Tears pooled on the cracks of her eyes. "It's nothing…" She then bolted off, wiping her eyes.

"Shit, hey don't run away!" He then grasped her without thinking.

"Hey, lemme go!" she cried.

"I can't after you start to tear up and scurry off," he replied quickly.

"Just leave me alone!" she cried, even louder this time.

"No! Not until you tell me what's up." His voice then softened, aware of how loud he was. "Look, just come with me for a little bit. Somewhere where you can relax so we can talk."

"What the heck?" She then paused for a moment. "Fine! Just to shoo you away. I'm near my usual place away."

* * *

"I don't have anything to talk to you about!" She cried angrily between large bites from a sweet crepe. The two were now seated next to a food stall on a side street, sitting on metal chairs, and Ann had already finished her first plate of crepes. "It was a just an argument." She then stopped eating for the first time. "Just an argument…"

"…with Kamoshida?" Akira replied.

Ann laid her head on her left palm and closed her eyes. "About him-" She then played with a loose napkin on the table between them. "You've heard the rumors?"

Akira nodded. "As much as I try not to."

"Everyone says we're getting it on….but…"

"It's not true, is it?" Akira said, leaning forward. "I'm guessing Kamoshida's been persistent, no?"

"…I avoided giving him my number for the longest time. He…told me to come to his place later tonight?"

"Tonight?" Akira scoffed. "If I can read between the lines, then I'm wondering where your parents are. Why haven't you told them?"

Ann's cheek tightened. "They're not in Japan right now….it's a long story. For now,"-she crushed her loose napkin-"I have… _him_  to deal with. If I turn him down, he said he'd take my friend, Shiho, off from the regulars." She sunk down, now staring at her knees like before in the subway. "I've been telling myself it's been for Shiho's sake. She's my friend but…" Her cheeks suddenly became wet. "I'm tired of this…I hate him!"

She looked at Akira, her lower eyelids drenched.

All Akira could do was ball his fists.

"Tell me…what should I do?" she said while holding her small hands close to her breastbone. She took a breath, and wiped her tears with her fingers, smudging a bit of her eyeliner in the process. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't ask you; it's not your problem."

Akira felt his jawbones tighten.  _Yeah…right….not my problem._  He started to get sick to his stomach.

Ann dried her eyes stared off in the distance again. "What am I even saying? I've barely even talked to you before."

Akira cleared his throat. "Maybe…that's why?"

"Hmm…perhaps so? I mean, everyone just ignores me. You're weird in that regard."

"Wait," Akira interjected, "Don't you have Ryuji?"

Ann fumed. "He ignores me too, though it's just because he's an idiot."

Akira couldn't help but be amused. "Indeed, he is."  _He must be if he's "ignoring" someone that stands out like her._

Ann continued. "Seriously though, you can't be a bad person like the rumors say. You just don't seem like it."

"Well…I AM bad to the bone."

Ann smiled. "C'mon, level with me. The rumors say that you nearly killed someone."

Akira furled his eyes.  _Well...I can't say she's wrong. I was just lucky for a long while._

Ann continued. "I mean, I just assumed it was all just exaggerations anyway." She paused. "You know, you're probably easy to talk to because you're like me?"

Akira raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

"In the classroom, you seem…lonely. Like you don't belong anywhere. I mean, I see you talk to Ryuji, but even then, you seem like….you're…"

"What?"

"…Lost. In a way. Reminds me of when I came to Japan for the first time. You being all anxious. Even now, you move around the school like you're being watched."

Akira smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry, I'm being nosy." She then stood up. "At the very least I feel better now. I'm getting some to go. Just…don't tell anyone about this, ok?"

"But Ann-"

"Promise me!"

Akira held back what he wanted to say. "I promise," he said instead.

"Good," Ann replied. "I can't ask Kamoshida to forget that I existed, but…maybe I can change his mind."

"Well," Akira said. "I'll leave to it then. Take care, Ann."

"You too, Akira."

Akira was lucky enough to make it onto the last line to Yongen for day. As the doors closed behind him, a news alert on his phone appeared. He went to check, only to see the headline: "Prolific murderer Maehara Kuzunoha executed today by hanging." His mind became filled with the image of a dark field, lit periodically with the sound of fireworks and populated with a fresh corpse. It made him mutter this between his teeth: "You can't rationalize with predators. Especially when they smell blood and crave the taste of flesh."

Now, in a bad mood, Akira needed all the time to himself to not be so haggard in the morning.

 **AKIRA:** Meet me out front in the alleyway tomorrow. I have a lot to talk about. I can't talk right now, I'm busy at my guardian's shop going into the night. See you then.

* * *

4/14

"Dammit, it's same shit for me too, then" Ryuji said while kicking over a trash can. "God, I feel like such an idiot. At this rate, we're better off stopping him directly."

"Ryuji, I need you not to get dramatic right now," Akira pressed. "Besides, we have another thing to address."

"What could possibly be more important, then?" Ryuji responded while slouching on a nearby wall.

Akira's bag then rustled and opened. "A proposition _,_ " chimed the feline curled in there.

"Wait, did you grab a stray on the way-WAIT WHY IS IT TALK-"

Akira sealed Ryuji's mouth shut and pressed on his Adam's apple. "And that is why we are in an alleyway, supposed to be DISCREET." He whispered to his feline companion. "Now Morgana, I decided to hear you out sooner rather than later, so play nice."

"Stop ordering me like your pet cat! I AM NOT A CAT! I didn't choose this form!" the "Cat" cried.

"Morgana?" Ryuji interjected. "How did he even get here? Wait…does he have a phone, too!?"

Morgana growled. "No, you idiot. I just came over here because, unlike you two, I am NOT an amateur who needs a phone. It took a while, but I caught this guy's scent and tracked him down."

"I smell too much like strong coffee, apparently," Akira quipped.

"Man, that condescending attitude coming from your bag, that is SO Morgana!" Ryuji commented, sparing a resentful finger for the feline. "Wait a second…"Ryuji then sprinted over to shove Morgana back in Akira's bag. "Shit dude! What if other people hear a cat talking?"

Akira interrupted. "Pretty sure we're the only ones who can hear Morgana talk. I saw it myself the other day. People will just hear him meow. Don't worry."

"You sure, dude?

Akira nodded. "At the very worst, he can also stay quiet when needed."

"Surprising, considering it's this furball we're talking about here," Ryuji retorted.

"I'm still here," Morgana replied, growling aggressively.

Akira resumed. "He can stay in my bag throughout the day, and I can carry him around."

Morgana grumbled. "It's better than your dumb, smelly gym locker."

"He's also sneaky enough to slip under people's noses; at least that's what I concluded, considering I found him again this morning after he abandoned me at the bread stand."

Morgana smiled a toothy grin. "I'm pretty capable. I slipped in at night without anyone noticing me."

"At night?" Akira wondered. "I suppose that 'heavy presence' pressing on me last night wasn't some intense nightmare."

"Your place is too cold," Morgana said. "Tell your guardian to invest in a heater."

"Not likely, coming from the miser who doesn't invest in hot water showers."

Morgana sighed. "At the very least, you had the common sense to leave some of your electronic junk back at LeBlanc, including that prop gun. Once again, you're doing better than Ryuji would ever would."

Ryuji sent a death glare towards Morgana. "Shuddup! Like I would bring a gun to...Wait, I already did that."

"Yeah….you did." Akira replied. After Akira aimed a glare of discontent at Ryuji, he took out his phone. "Homeroom is about to start. Morgana, is this thing you wanted to talk about to the both of us going to take a bit?"

"It would be straightforward if you didn't keep on conveniently leaving when I'm trying to explain."

Akira snorted. "I'll take that as a yes. Back in the bag you go."

"Goddamnit! And after such praise, too!? You're being such a pain in the as-"

Akira shut the bag. "After school?" he said to Ryuji.

"Fine."

"ASSHOLES!" the cat cried in defeat.

* * *

Shiho sat at her and Ann's usual spot for lunch: the same bench they were at yesterday.

Ann then arrived. "Hey Shiho, I brought some crepes back from yesterday" she greeted, smiles as always. "I even have the ones that you…"-she stopped moving, seeing now Shiho now with a black currant bruise above her right eye-"…like." Her larynx seized, seeing the rim above Shiho's right eye inflamed as much as it was. She inched closer onto the bench. "Are you ok? Was…this from practice yesterday?"

Shiho, eyes half shut and her left eyelid twitching constantly, could only nod.

"Are you sure you're not pushing yourself too hard?" Ann feebly asked.

"I-I'm fine," she hastily replied, shielding the space between her thighs.

Ann stood silently as she peered at Shiho's eyes to see, in overcast, how pitch-black and drained they were.

"You could use something in your stomach. Crepes usually cheer us up after all," Ann said, attempting to smile.

"I'm not hungry," Shiho replied. Her legs quivered uncontrollably, pulling inward.

"Shiho….are you sure the practice is not too rough?"

"It's not…I'm fine," she replied, holding her legs still while standing. "I just need to walk a bit before class starts. My legs hurt." She walked off, trudging like a zombie.

"…Shiho…" Ann uttered out. She started to drag herself to her classroom desk.

Shiho continued to walk away, into the hallway. Around the corner, her carrying bag began to buzz. Past her small, convenience-store bento she brought only out of obligation to her mother, she noticed a new text from "K". She opened to find just only a photo attached. One look, and she had the same feeling she experienced in the faculty office. An unwanted titillation. A tightening of her windpipe. A throbbing pain between the thighs. A paralyzing shame.

She wished she could fall over and collapse like a marionette cut free.  _But then,_  she thought,  _everyone would see me._ _They already see me...talking about me...I bet there's rumor about me already...What if this photo's already out..._

Akira became to walk towards the courtyard when he saw Shiho stare off, blocking the way out. Shiho then scrolled her eyes to see him. "Oh...I'm in the way, aren't I? Sorry..."

"Are you hurt?" Akira said in grave tones.

"Huh?" she said in return, scratching her left arm while looking away. "Um, well..." She then took another look again, slightly relieved. "You don't look familiar."

Akira scratched the back of his head. "Nevermind me. Are you alright?"

"I'm...fine." She took a closer look, taking a little step forward. "Could you be that transfer student from Class D?"

Akira sighed. "Yeah."

"Um, this might be my business, but don't let the rumors get to you, ok...?" she said in return.

 _Why would she tell me that?_  Akira wondered. "I'm fine; I'm taking it on the chin."

"I'm glad to hear that..." Shiho said, with a weak grin. "You know, my 'friend' is subject to rumors all of the time. People talking behind her back and such, due to her looks." She then turned away to look outside, looking slightly upward. She thought up there, she could find an escape from what she was feeling. She then turned back. "Sorry, I don't mean to keep you. I'll...see you around." She began to walk off, but she stopped to look at Akira again, anguish in her eyes. She then walked off a bit, then stopped to look at Akira another time. "If you see her, please be nice. Like she was to me."

Akira was by the door, restless.  _Why did she say, 'was'? I thought she was her friend._

His bag rustled. "She looked almost lifeless from where I was," Morgana said. "I hope she's ok." A quick pause. "I know I said I have a proposition already, but I have another related one, now that we have the time."

"Another?" Akira quipped with resentment. "You're not a good negotiator."

"It's related to that girl."

Akira grunted. "Gimme a second. I need to sit somewhere to eat before it gets too late." That place was the soda dispenser. Sitting down, Akira took out a piece of bread from yesterday. "Go on."

"That girl seemed troubled. She probably needs help soon."

He chewed slowly. "It wouldn't hurt her. But she needs professional help. Or someone to lend an ear. Her friend would be better qualified."

"Or we can see for ourselves and do something about it."

Akira squinted his eyes, feeling the cat's word snake into his ear. "What are you getting at?"

"I said before that in the Other World, anyone with distorted desires can have a Palace. What if there's a way to correct for twisted, corrupted desires?"

"That would be great...if you didn't have an ulterior motive. Why you're suggesting this all of the sudden?"

"What's with the wariness here?" Morgana replied. "I can talk about this more once Ryuji's in the picture, but it's not nefarious. I want something in the Other World, and this is a way you can come with me and both get what we want."

Akira turned grim. "I'm also confused since you personally warned us away from that world the last time. The only thing I'm sure about is that, based on my last two outings to the Other World, I am not the most reliable person."

"I say otherwise," Morgana replied emphatically. "You have the power of Persona, and some experience with it. And there's a tried and true way of correcting for 'twisted' desires, depending on the severity. Besides, I would be there. So there's less of a chance for it to go wrong. The point is, though, is that I need to find something in the Other World. In a special place no less. And I need help."

"Special place?" Akira replied.

"It's at the center of what they call Mementos. It's a huge place. I don't know why...but I need to get to the center of this place. Something tells me I can find out...who I am."

"Was that a cat meowing nearby?"

Akira was panic-stricken.  _Shit. It's Prez again._  He zipped his bag nice and shut. Behind the bench he was sitting on came Makoto in an inquisitive mood. "Probably just the birds," he said shakily.

"I'm wondering since we've gotten reports of a stray cat around the premises. Apparently, it raided the bread stall the other day, contaminating our stores." She pressed a finger into her forehead, closing her eyes. "I've been spending all day on short notice ordering bread. This is the only time I've been able to start eating."

Akira smiled. "Well, I guess I'm just lucky I didn't buy anything yesterday." He then glared anxiously at his bed, then back at Makoto. "Aren't you worried about what interacting with the transfer student would do to your reputation?"

Her forehead tightened. "I'm more worried about keeping my potassium levels up before class. And keeping you out of trouble."

"Well, Mommy Dearest, I have the sinking suspicion you're going to warn me away," Akira said jokingly.

Her voice then got noticeably more solemn. "...Not exactly." She sat down next to him, whipping out a neatly packaged box of homemade bento, with a variety of fruits, vegetables and meats.

He took a glance at the rainbow in her hands.  _Isn't that overkill, the number of things she stuffed in there?_  He then took another look at his lunch.  _Well...I guess I can't complain. I should probably take a note from her, to be honest._

She began to speak once more. "I've...thought more about it. The more I think about yesterday, the more I am convinced you're going to still ask around. But..."

"But what?" Akira quipped.

"I am not going to deny that procedure here at Shujin has been disregarded completely. The scale of such transgression is unbelievable if what I saw is true. Which makes me realize-"

"...Oh, I get it. If I'm going to butt my nose in it more, then I should help you on your witch hunt rather than be a rogue agent?"

A low whisper of "Don't trust her!" came from his bag.

"Yes. I could keep you out of trouble, and you can help me get what I need in order to make a case to someone who can fix this."

 _Her reasoning is so similar to Morgana's is so similar, it's not funny. I bet she'll show me her secret cat tail next._ "That might be harder than you make it sound out to be. It may even be impossible, given what lengths the school can keep things under wraps. And yet you still want to do it, dragging a delinquent along?"

Makoto smiled, eyes closed. "We have laws and procedure for a reason. They help us become better than our basic desires."

Akira smirked. "And you think that if I play by the book, assuming that it can done, I can 'suppress' my base desires?"

She peered at him directly. "You said it yourself: you're a delinquent. Besides you're the only one that I know that is actively searching for information."

Having finished his paltry lunch, he clasped his hands together. "Have you thought about the possibility that I may not be able to suppress 'my base desires'? Not everyone prescribes to rules and procedure. Especially if the procedures are broken."

"You will. No exceptions. That is, if you agree." She took a small bite. "Besides I have great confidence in the rules. I believe they are avenues which give us something higher to aspire to. And I believe in you." She cleared her throat. "Well, parts of you at the very least. The part that aspires to be something greater."

Akira paused. "I'll think about it. If that exists."

His bag hissed.

"Did I hear a hiss just right now?" Makoto said, bewildered.

"Probably just a bug. Class won't start yet, but I rather not hear more flak from Ushimaru."

She frowned. "He is...exacting."

Akira chortled. "Coming from you, it's kind of amusing."

She scowled. "Don't make me smack you."

He started to walk away. "Sorry, I'm good, thank you very much. Just give me some time to walk and think. I'll get back to you." Something though made him linger. "You know...about what you said just now. I'm curious."

She twisted her head. "Curious?"

"Self-conscious, rather. You're a lady of procedure. Would you treat anyone this heavy-handily?"

"What do you mean?" Makoto responded.

"You said before the other day: you have ambitions to treat everyone fairly. Equally. And yet here you are, probably dedicating a lot of effort into making sure I keep an honest life. All the while trying to take down these guys. Lawfully, no less. Methinks you're overextending yourself."

"Akira..." she sighed. "Nothing has changed. I still believe in the needs of everyone, and doing this will help everyone in the long run." She grimaced. "Your..." She winced. "...disconcerting nature doesn't help with that, however."

Akira continued to walk away. "So you say. But something has to give. Later, 'Your Excellency.'"

"Can't you be appropriate for once?" she exclaimed.

"I am; you're basically the Queen here," he replied smugly.

* * *

Shiho, still not having eaten, kept to herself on the second floor of the gym. She needed the quiet.

Her respite though was brief. "Suzui, there you are."

She looked up to see Mishima, whose cuts from yesterday were profusely scabbed over. "...It's Kamoshida. He wants to see you soon."

Her breathing quickened. "Why?"

"...I dunno. He wants to see me too, but we apparently need to get something from the roof. Some padding mats. Everyone today is going to do strength training. Not just the groups on rotation."

Shiho stood up to follow Mishima to the roof. When they got outside, the slight breeze helped to ease Shiho a bit. Mishima went into the corner to get an extra mat in the corner. "Suzui...I shouldn't be saying this, but...are you ok?"

He didn't hear a response.

Mishima continued. "it's just...I heard screams from the faculty office. I mean, I got punished myself too. I just hope you didn't get it too rough."

Another silence.

"Suzui, are you hear-"

Mishima was struck with panic. Shiho was on the ledge, staring down.

"Suzui...please just...step back towards me...it should be me instead," Mishima said in a low, wavering voice.

* * *

Across the way, Akira finally reached the second floor where his homeroom was. He could hear Ushimaru booming in preparation of today's lecture on the structure of the Japanese government.

"Akira, please don't tell me you're serious about her offer," Morgana pleaded.

"It's still an option worth considering."

"Why? I just told you about that place," Morgana said, seething with incredulity. "You can deal with ALL of them at the same time in the Other World by stealing away their desires, instead of teaming up with someone who, for all intensive purposes, is a liability."

"You're overreacting," Akira replied.

"How am  _I_ overreacting? You said it yourself in the alleyway to Ryuji and me: that the school faculty knows about this. And you're getting soft, maybe even googly-eyed-"

"Googly-eyed?" Akira interjected.

"Yes, googly-eyed over someone that has to answer to them, bottom line. And hearing her be all straight-laced about rules and such, already verified my concern."

Akira stood by the door, out of Ushimaru's sight. "So you think she going to fold when it gets tough?"

"She will. This is why we keep things tight. Plus she doesn't have our power. She's  _useless."_

Akira took out his phone, fixated on his Navigation App. "You make it seem like your plan is all roses. You said that if properly approached, you can correct for any "corrupted desire." Yet nothing goes as planned. You know that. What happens, worst case?" He then opened the bag to shove his face in. "And be honest to me."

Morgana whimpered. "'Correcting for corrupted desires' involves stealing that person's corrupted Heart. It takes away their distorted desires, but it takes away their normal desires too. If not handled carefully, they could shut down and die."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Akira yelled in his bag.

"KURUSU!" Ushimaru yelled from the classroom. "Stop talking out there and get in class!"

Akira grunted. "We are SO discussing this more after school." He began to walk into class, but something caught his eye. He looked out of the window opposite from him. He looked up. It was the girl he talked to in the hallway. The one whose name eluded him. She was standing on the roof, near the ledge.

"KURUSU! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" Ushimaru then stomped into the hallway, only to see the girl on the ledge. A few seconds later, Mishima was on the ledge. By this point, everyone in the classroom peered out the window, some even getting out of their seats.

"Shiho!" Ann cried out from her seat. She then rushed over to the window, along with the majority of people from the other classes.

"Everyone! Back in class immediately!" Ushimaru yelled.

 _Ushimaru, this is not an option._  Riled already, Akira weaved through the forming crowd.  _Just hang in there. Both of you._

Now out of the original cluster, Akira went into a full sprint.

_Shit, shit, the third floor walkway. Hurry._

* * *

The third floor was just as worse. The teachers were busy attempting to shove all of the students away from the stairs.

"Nijima-san! I need some help here," one of the teachers cried.

 _This is bad,_ Makoto thought. "Coming!" she cried out loud.  _All of it. Shiho and Mishima are pondering suicide, and I should just let trained negotiators handle this. But...at this point, Shiho's the best shot I have right now of punishing Kamoshida for what he's done. I have to try...something!_

Her attention though drifted to the second-year rushing past the blockade of teachers.

 _Akira, why am I not surprised?_  "Akira, what are you doing!?" she cried out. Akira, though, ignored her, continuing up the stairs to the roof.

"Akira, wait!" she cried in vain, her right arm outstretched. Doing that left a brief-enough opening for the third year students to pile into the hallway unopposed.  _This is starting to piss me off.._. _Dammit, fine, have it your way. Shiho, just hold on!_ _. And I swear...if Kamoshida is involved..._ She charged off behind, opening the lever door to the roof to find Shiho and Mishima standing by the ledge, looking down. Akira inched towards the side, creeping a distance away towards Shiho.

"Please...Suzui," Mishima said in a cracking voice. "I deserve to die. More than you. I've...done terrible things. I've been such a coward. I can't even look myself in the mirror in the morning. What Kamoshida has me doing...I don't know if I can..."

"Mishima...Suzui...please...we can solve this together," Makoto said, inching closer. "Please...just step away so I can hear you out."

Shiho began to tear up. "Nijima-senpai..." She then turned to her right. "...Mishima..." She turned to the left. "...I'm sorry...I'm so impolite. I never caught your name."

"It's...Akira. Akira Kurusu." He then had an epiphany, remembering back to what Ann said about her friend. "Please, you can talk to Ann. Whatever Kamoshida has done to you...he won't get away with this. We can help you."

"Akira Kurusu...It was nice to meet you, Akira," she said, smiling sadly. "Forgive me, Ann." She flung herself off the building.

"SHIHO!" Akira cried, flinging himself forward.

"AKIRA!" Makoto cried.

The hairs on Akira's skin stood up as he reached out mid-jump to reach her. He stretched out as far as his arm permitted, but it did him no good. His fingers were just inches away from touching Shiho's sneakers.

He then found it hard to breathe; he was sure now, considering how much he jumped out, that he was going to share Shiho's fate.

_I failed for good this time, didn't I?_

He felt a sinking sensation forming.

He then felt two vice grips on his legs. Akira could only hear the whoosh of air past his ears as he hit into the school wall like a wrecking ball, grasped only by the ankles. His glasses split on the concrete, ending up in the courtyard below. The blow to his head caused the crowd that was pooling around Shiho to become blurry. But Shiho remained clear. He couldn't see all of the details, but it was clear that Shiho, dead or alive, had an arm and leg mangled on the grass. He also didn't see Mishima with her, which brought him some relief.

Makoto pulled Akira up furiously and erratically, trying her best not to let a hint of anguish show on her face.  _Why did you go out that far, dammit?_  She pored over the damage.  _A g_ _ash between his stupid, bleary eyes._  "Akira, can you hear me?"

To Akira, the President's voice was just garbled noise.

"Goddamnit!" she cried gently. Her eyes started to swell. "You fool, answer me!" She was about to raise a hand at him, but she held back mid-swing, not meaning to do it.

For Akira, her voice started to clear up.

"...Ren...whatever...just wake up and answer me!" he heard her say.

"...I'm sorry you were forced to use that name."

"Akira!" she cried out in relief. "Can you get up?"

"Yeah, I can..." he replied. He then briskly walked over to the stairs leading down, noticing that Mishima was gone.

"Where are you going?!" Makoto yelled. "You need first aid!"

"Just find where Mishima went!" Akira yelled.  _I just need to see for myself...Goddamnit, let there be something there!_ The crowds were everywhere, but Akira didn't care. He shoved anyone in his way. His ghastly face wound helped to scare people away. By the time he reached the courtyard, the students had their phones out. He pushed to the front, the oppressive feeling of being eyeballed by those next to him present.

The damage was worse. Her fractured thigh bone slit through her skin. A dribble of blood coming from the side of her mouth. Glazed, empty eyes. An arm bent back 180 degrees. Akira would have assumed she was dead if it were not for the brief, conscious jolt in her eyes.

It didn't matter what Akira saw in the courtyard, however. Because at the end, seeing Shiho made him see the dog begging for his life on that hot day, and then Minako in the field, her slit throat making the fallows black with blood.

And like before with Maehara with his dog and sister, and now with Kamoshida with Shiho, he could only say this to himself:

_You fucking failed. You tried too late._


	11. "Old Habits...", Part I

The crowd around her kept recording.  _Maybe to post on their walls, the shameless idiots_ , Akira said to himself, tempted to repeat it out loud.

Ryuji had pushed his way through the mass of students, looking around at the crowd of teenage paparazzi forming around Shiho's shattered frame. "What the hell is wrong with these guys?" Ryuji cried in aimless distress. "I swear, I'm gonna knock some effin' phones onto the ground and smash them in a minute!" He then saw Akira, kneeling by Shiho. "Holy shit, what happened to your face?"

Akira grimaced. "Long story."

Ryuji kneeled next to Akira. "Damnit; I don't understand this at all…" he said, shaking his head.

Akira took another look at the mangled Shiho.  _Still alive. Barely,_ he lamented. His eyes then turned to a square-shaped lump under her sweater. He carefully pushed back the unsullied arm to reveal a strap holding her phone.  _No doubt it's there for practice._ He then remembered the despair Shiho had in her eyes while staring at her phone in the hallway.

He looked at Ryuji. "Just cover me. Make sure nobody sees what I'm about to grab."

"What, why-"

"Just trust me," Akira replied hastily, his speech slurring momentarily. Ryuji then shrugged and covered Akira's right. "I'm just going to look like I'm taking her pulse." With his two main fingers extended, he placed them on her wrist.  _Faint._  Then he reached out to her neck, being careful to block people's view of her. "Still faint; I feel bad for this, but at least I know you're alright." With his free hand, he grabbed her phone from the holster and pushed back down jerkily her sleeve. Putting the phone in his pocket, he then looked around.

"You see Mishima around?" Akira slurred.

"Mishima? Now that I think about it…But why-"

"I have questions," Akira replied curtly, remembering Mishima's crushing shame. "Just….help me find him." His words started to blend in more. "Anddon'tlethim….leave school. No matter what."

"Wait, dude, you think he has something to do with this?"

Akira nodded.

"He was acting suspiciously today. Fine, I'll look. What makes you think he's going to be here?"

Mishima's tears gave Akira reassurance. "A hunch," Akira replied.

The EMTs arrived, gently placing Shiho on a canvas stretcher. Ann appeared, pushing everyone in her way to meet Shiho eye to eye.

"Shiho….why?" she cried.

She groaned, uttering "Kamoshida" before staring into the distance with bleary eyes.

"Are you coming?" one of the EMTs asked Ann.

"….I'll go!" Ann replied readily.

"Wait," the other EMT interjected. "That kid's facial wound looks like that needs attention."

"We can leave that to "the Plague" in Yongen. Another shutdown's on the radio, and now we have two injured that are on the way we need to corral. Tell her he's from Shujin, and she'll handle it. Let's handle the girl and get someone to watch over her at the hospital."

"Are you sure about that? That lady chewed me out the last time I asked her to handle a redirect."

"Does it look like we have a choice?" The first EMT turned back to Ann. "Hurry up, miss." Ann the rushed into the ambulance.

As the ambulance left, Akira was drawn once again to the phone.  _Perhaps...very unlikely but…_

With his now inexplicably numb hand, he turned on the phone. To his surprise, there wasn't a lock screen.  _Should I?_  he pondered. He went to the messaging app. He saw the most recent message. With a photo attached.

Thumb wavering slightly, he pressed it open, shielding the phone screen. Though, he regretted it after. To say it portrayed Shiho in an uncompromising situation would have been an understatement. And that set Akira aflame.  _And from "K" no less._   _THAT SON OF A BITCH…..to think he'd be that brazen. Or dyumb…wait I meant dumb…._ His mind turned hazy as he placed Shiho's phone in his pocket.

Mishima then timidly appeared from his hiding spot in the crowd to watch the ambulance drive off. From Akira's view, Mishima seemed lost in a trance. For Mishima, he was stuck over what was worse: his brush with mortality or what he did to make him consider sharing Shiho's fate. He decided to choose the simple solution and run away from the crowd.

"Damnit," Akira said, getting more incoherent with each letter. "I…need to…"

Ryuji rushed to keep Akira from falling over. "Damnit, hold on! I'll drag you to the nurse myself!" he then said. "I was about to corner Mishima myself too…"

As Ryuji dragged Akira, who was leaning on his shoulders, Kobayakawa hobbled past into the crowd. "Everyone, return to your classes at once! Teachers, do not let anyone leave early!"

Akira began to fade in and out…

* * *

Akira then woke up, face planted on a cool, clothed surface that reeked of oak and vanilla.

A voice chimed across from him. "Asleep again? And here I thought I taught you better table manners."

Akira raised his head. Indeed, he was at a dining table, in his old kitchen, the sun flooding in. He sniffed the air; even that old-time saline spritz was in the air. Indeed, he was home. Sitting across from him, a weary-sounding woman, wearing a beige business suit under a kitchen apron, stared at the kitchen set on the table.

She continued to complain while brushing her bowl-cut hair. "I can't say I'm the best at this housemaid thing, but at the very least, your ungrateful sister and my schlub of a husband should be prompt."

Akira stood quiet, staring out at the windows to see the sea behind her the same way one meets an old friend. He conveniently ignored. the fact that he wasn't in his uniform anymore.

The woman stopped staring at the china set laid out and looked at Akira. "What are you staring at?"

Akira felt the nagging sense something was awry. He wished it would go away.  _Maybe…I'm just tired. Just imagining that school, that's all. God, I guess I can have a weird dream occasionally, eh?_  "I guess I'm just tired? Am I just not sleeping enough? I don't know." Akira said, smiling slightly as the sun embraced him with open arms.

"Tch," the woman replied. "Poor sleep schedule. That's another penalty." She reached under the flatly pressed dining cloth, then stopped mid-arm. Pulling back, and defying reality as Akira knew it, the woman now had a snub-nosed revolver in her hand. She pulled the trigger next to her head nonchalantly. "I can only fail so much, son." Her voice crackled. "Why am I such a failure?"

Akira was frozen. "Uhh..where did the gun come from?"

"You know, I know about how you lied to that girl." She spun the chamber and held a gun to her head. "That's another failure in your upbringing. My failure." Another click. She then investigated the chamber. "Not a malfunction. The barrel's empty. Must be lucky."

"Mom…just put it down. Please."

She groaned. "Oh, and your sister's expulsion. From Gekkoukan no less. I failed in teaching her manners there too." Click. "Oh, what am I going to do?"

He couldn't move for her weapon, no matter how much he wished he could. "You can start by putting…the gun down." His lower lip quivered. "Please."

"Oh and how you let your sister down like that….that's worth four penalties there." And then, four clicks in succession. She then eyed the gun incredulously. "You pick terrible guns. You should ask some of your silly friends where they get their guns at."

Akira continued to sit in his chair, his face making contortions. "Silly friends?" he replied, flustered. "Who the hell would ask their friends for loaded weapons?"

His "mom" glared across the table. "Well, excuse me. I'm just giving maternal advice." She then laid her utensil down by the plate. "Besides, guns can be used for multiple things."

Akira sunk in his chair. "Pardon me…I'm just preoccupied right now. A girl...she….I saw her….well"

She smiled weakly, only to then slink into a gloom, staring at the speckling revolver. "Well, I suppose you've learned some etiquette." She then glossed her eyes back again to Akira. "Thanks for reminding me about the girl, by the way." She then stood onto the chair. "Forgive me, my memory is not the best these days." She stared up. "But either way, there's one simple solution to your problem."

He stared up to find a scarf tied up in a noose. "Where...did that…come from," he said, his face now ghastly.

His "mom," staring at her solution for the longest time, deviated for the smallest moment. "I don't know; all I know that's the simplest solution for me, after all. For shame, that is."

"I….I….."

Suddenly, Akira noticed the smell of engine oil to his left. Seated right next to him was a long-brown haired pony-tailed, young woman wearing a mesh cap, hunching over the table. She turned to look at Akira's nonplussed face, and to display the stitches on her neck. "You're just as dramatic as her. Always seeing the worst in things. I'll say this though,"-she pulled a gun that looked very similar to Ryuji's from behind her jeans-"you should consider an upgrade. Asking around wouldn't hurt."

Akira pressed his fingers into his forehead. "This is…an 'interesting' conversation."

"Pfft. It's better than mulling over where or what Mom is going to do based on some hospital intercom," she replied, playing with the lever of the gun in her hands. "You know full well what happens when you mull too much."

"…I know," Akira replied feebly. "It just feels off though...going back…resorting back to this. I'm still holding out for a nobler way, deep down. To break old, destructive habits."

"Oh Brother….Robin Hood was a hoodlum, and people still write him as a hero." She facepalmed. "What, you'd prefer a slow, tepid way of going about this? There a word for that. It's called laziness. If you prefer such a thing, you can dote over Baroness-von-Procedure behind you as she caresses your hand."

Akira turned her head to find "Prez" petting his neck while covering her face with a book titled "Black Widows for Dummies."

"Now, wouldn't you prefer just destroying someone's life? Retribution is such a fast, straightforward, and cathartic way of doing things."

"I tried that with Maehara, Minako" Akira said growling, only momentarily as "Makoto's" soft touch eased him. "Besides, I need something more fulfilling. Like…helping people, perhaps. Not...this."

"For the record, you just made him jitter around with your little toy prod, hoping he would go away," Minako said scowling. "He didn't, you know. You left him with some twisted hope." She then smiled mischievously, displaying her stapled neck. "You see, Renren, I would have gone and ripped his heart out. Destroy everything he lived for. You get where I'm going."

He returned her smile with a crossing of the arms. "You suggest I talk to cats."

'Minako' grunted. "I SUGGEST you don't meander about."

Akira then heard a chair tipping, and of a woman shuffling and grunting.

"Or THAT happens." She then grasped Akira's head, petting it slowly and keeping him from seeing what was happening. "You're a smart boy; you know what hearing that means." She held him closer. "You have to go back, you know? There's work to be done.

"I know…it's just…I just….Going back hurts. Losing people….I'm scared. It just feels predestined to happen if I decide on this path."

She then inched into his ear. "Then get to work. The Phantom of Tokyo is a lot better than the Phantom of Minomiya, if I say so myself. Better tools now as well. And right now, some people in Tokyo could use a Phantom haunting them."

Akira smiled guiltily. "I…suppose so."

"Good. Now…"

Akira heard a hammer click in.

"Your head hurts. This is to help you remember."

Akira felt his head concuss and explode from the inside. The last thing he felt was the heat from gunpowder and fresh lead burn in his left lobe.

* * *

Akira woke to find himself under the sheets of an infirmary bed, his collar drenched in sweat. Looking around, he noticed the young sunset peeking through his curtain. He also felt that his scalp was tighter than usual. He touched around there, noticing the wet gauze wrapped around his head. He touched the damp areas and saw the crimson on his fingers.  _I didn't bleed that much, did I?_

He looked over his bed. Somebody left his bag in there. He rushed to look inside the bag to find the cat not there. He then felt a warm, heavy presence between his legs. He pulled his sheets up to find two blue cat eyes piercing the darkness. "I'm curious who left the bag."

"Pretty sure it was your dominatrix," Morgana replied smugly with a Chestshire smile.

"Cute. Though I guess that makes sense." He then opened his phone. Apparently, someone left 3 messages in quick succession. From a number he couldn't recognize. "Weird." He then remembered what he had to do. "The answer is yes, by the way. To the Treasure part. We'll talk about Mementos later, but for now….THIS first."

"You're fast," Morgana replied. "Though I'm not surprised. That girl deserved better."

Akira raised an eyebrow. "Where's the regret all of the sudden? Sounded like your Treasure and this Mementos place were more important to you."

"They are," Morgana replied, scratching the back of his ear with his paw. "Doesn't mean I don't pity her. Plus…deal's a deal. You said yes, so I'll help you."

Akira laughed bitterly, his lamentations growing further. "And to think we can see into his mind at the Castle…you think we could see worse the deeper we go into?"

"Most likely," Morgana replied bluntly.

Akira paused for a minute, preoccupied with the image of Shiho on the phone.

Morgana interjected. "I hope you're not getting second thoughts here. Last time I checked, you weren't the one abusing students."

He glared into Morgana's eyes, ready to throw him across the infirmary. "Of course not, you furry piece of shit."

Morgana whimpered. "…I'm sorry, I didn't mean…"

"HUSH."

Morgana then balled itself into a defensive curl. "Testy. Though I suppose I should be relieved, seeing some fire in your eyes."

"Now let me think."

A minute later, Akira decided to text Ryuji:

 **AKIRA** : Still around at school?

A few seconds later…

 **RYUJI:** Damn right I am!

 **RYUJI:** I wanted to stay but the damn nurse shooed me off, saying I need class!

 **RYUJI:** Like my education is that important!

_Riiiight._

**AKIRA:** Did Morgana tell you already his proposition?

 **RYUJI:** Yeah…..I dunno. It's risky…

Akira looked at Morgana. "You told Ryuji about the risks?"

"Even that blockhead should be fully aware."

"You're considerate."

A minute later of thinking on Akira's part:

 **AKIRA:**  It's risky…and I wish we didn't have to do it, considering what that other place can do.

 **AKIRA** : But it's a necessary evil.

 **AKIRA:** We won't go crazy with it.

 **AKIRA:** Either way, whatever we're doing needs prep work.

A few minutes later:

 **RYUJI:** Yeah but…..he might die, for god's sake!

Akira sighed.

 **AKIRA:** Honestly….I don't give a shit.

 **AKIRA:**  I'm condemned regardless.

 **AKIRA:** Now to start, I need to know where you got your "little toy" at.

 **RYUJI:**  In Shibuya. Place called "Unbreakable."

 **AKIRA:** Excellent. You're coming.

 **RYUJI:** I DIDN'T SAY THAT!

 **RYUJI:** Dude!

Several seconds went by.

 **RYUJI:** Damnit fine! You want to see him get what's coming, so do I.

 **RYUJI:** But I swear, I'm gonna feel like shit after if something bad ends up happening.

 **AKIRA:** We'll talk more by the station then.

"Told you it would be easy," he replied smugly. He then frowned, the gravity of being pulled further in coming back. "This whole thing, everything about stealing corrupted desires, ends with Kamoshida."

Morgana's ears perked. "Why would you say that? Seems like you're wasting an awesome opportunity."

Akira began to move his legs out of the bed, albeit stiffly. "A general rule: you wave fire around all the time, someone may get unintentionally burnt."

Morgana shook his head. "You're weird, Frizzy Hair, speaking in metaphors."

"You'll understand one day, I hope," Akira replied. He motioned towards his bag. "You coming in, or am I going to shove you in?"

Morgana grumbled. "Bossy ass…" He then jumped into the bag.

"Let's get going," Akira then said, slipping on his shoes.

"Are you sure that nurse is going to let you out this early?" Morgana wondered.

"I'm leaving either way," Akira replied snappily.

He made it halfway to the door before the nurse there saw him. "Kurusu-kun, you should rest a bit more. There's no rush."

He turned around. "I'll do it at home. Excuse me." He quickened his pace out of the infirmary.

The nurse then blocked the door with her entire body. "I haven't even mentioned where you've been referred to yet for your follow-up at 19:30."

"'The Plague, no?'" he said irreverently.

She snorted. "You must get around.  _Yes_ , it's the Plague. Takemi Medical Clinic."

Akira smiled. "Can I go now?"

Her brows become furrowed. "I insist you don't."

Akira continued to smile as he pushed the nurse. "Thank you very much."

Making it into the hallway, he turned to the small hole in his bag, his pace doubling as he went forward. "Morgana, now that I think about it, you didn't tell me how got out my locker."

"A thief never reveals his methods," his bag piped arrogantly.

"…But?" he replied insistently.

A quick pause. "But….I'll show you this trick here later. What door do you need unlocked? I have a ton of lockpicks here. Normal doors and stupid locker rooms, tremble!"

Akira quickly looked. It was late enough to where students weren't pouring into the hallways. Just a few lingering about.  _No doubt lesser than usual thanks to today's events._ This door here.

Morgana looked out. "Chemistry lab?"

"I need to restock...if you know what I mean," Akira replied.

"This is demented. I would expect this amount of screwball planning from Ryuji."

He spoke directly into the bag. "Just shut up and trust me. I know what I am doing."

Morgana hissed as he put a crafted thin piece of sheet metal in his mouth. "Fine…"

* * *

"A most pitiful display today," Kobayakawa said in dismay to a crowded faculty room, Student Council included, as he sat down in a spare office chair that buckled under him when he sat. "I would have expected better management of the students from all of you."

Makoto and her band were off to the right, heads sunk down. For Makoto, as the sunset cast black bars over her face, the shame was more personal than obligatory.

"The lack of containment here will no doubt magnify the shame this incident has brought the school. Which is a tarnishing for all of us. I hope the disgust you feel will carry on forth in the future. Dismissed."

"Hold on a minute!" a nasal voice cried in the back. It was Kawakami with a finger raised and a surgical mask over her mouth. "What of the status of the other two?"

"What does it matter," Ushimaru muttered, drifting in and out of consciousness. "Kobayakawa has it covered."

"…Yeah, he had it covered," an unknown teacher uttered.

Kawakami's eyes scrunched. "Apologies, but was it documented that Shiho was 'troubled' in any way?"

The room turned silent.

"Any concerns?" she uttered again.

A brave soul decided to speak. "All of the students have been stressed lately," Kobayakawa noted. "Some people can just have sudden breaks. It's not unheard of."

"This is not just some mental shutdown, for God's sake!" Kawakami dismayed. "You're telling me that anyone in the room here, especially her coach, didn't notice ANYTHING?"

It was now Kamoshida's turn. "You can't ask us to view our students under a microscope. It's not practical." He then grinned, raising his back as he. "What, would you prefer if we personally go to our students after school and tuck them to sleep like you did? We all know how well that turned out."

"….The hell did you say!?" Kawakami gutturally yelled, being held back by a tanned, black-haired teacher.

That same teacher felt like contributing. "That's quite uncalled for, Kamoshida. You shouldn't go around making flippant comments freely."

"I-I'm sure he didn't mean that, Ms. Chuomo. I will talk to him alone. Nijima-san, I would also like for you to stay as well. Everyone else should adjourn for today."

Everyone else except Kamoshida, Kobayakawa, and Makoto did a middling bow before exiting.

The room empty, Kobayakawa spoke, now standing with his bulbous hands behind his bulbous back. "It has come to my attention that you have been associating with the transfer student quite a bit."

"…Yes, it seems I have. His record has caused me to watch him closely."

"You give that piece of trash too much of your attention," Kamoshida said with a slight twinge of scorn.

 _I'd feel like you would be sad in any scenario where you weren't the center of attention,_  Makoto said to herself.

"He'd probably sell you off to the Yakuza if you let him," Kamoshida added. "Young, fair, and high-achieving students don't benefit from associating themselves with students like him."

Kobayakawa began to sweat. "Kamoshida, please, there's no need to scare the lady. In fact, I don't blame her watching him closely given her family's history in the police service. Normally, I would advise any student to stay away from people like him. But, this incident with Suzui is forcing my hand."

"Your…hand?" Makoto wondered. "In what sense?"

"You reported that this Kurusu fellow barged onto the roof. Correct?"

"Correct," she replied.

"He barged, knowing fully well how unstable Shiho Suzui was?" Kobayakawa said emphatically.

"I…that's a loaded question," Makoto said. "I mean, sure it was risky, but well-in-"

"Risky? That's a bit of an understatement. You basically kept him from falling over along with Suzui, no? That is what you said, correct?"

"…Correct."  _I see where this is going…._

"Reckless and stupid, if I say so myself. Disregarding the teachers to stay in class and then this stunt?"

Makoto wanted this to be fair. "Well, I can't say everyone else today was being appropriate regarding the first point."

"This is different," Kobayakawa interrupted. "His actions may have inadvertently contributed to a poor girl's attempt at suicide."

"One that might have worked, given that we've received reports that's she's suffered from internal bleeding and is currently in a coma," Kamoshida added.

"…That's…"  _…Nonsense. This is YOUR doing, where you like it or not. Not only for the jump but…._

Makoto closed her eyes, sniffing slightly.

"I know, it's horrible," Kobayakawa replied. "Given his record, I will have no choice to bring this up as a disciplinary action at the next school board meeting. He will be notified tomorrow in person."

"Given his record, I wouldn't be surprised if he got expelled on the spot," Kamoshida said with a self-satisfied expression.

Makoto stood still, listening.  _Unfortunately, that…asshole is probably right. The school board is a fastidious bunch. I've seen it myself, being dragged to those meetings as part of Council duties._

"In the meantime, we would like to ask you to look into both the Kurusu and Suzui manner closely. We regret having to burden you, given that you are prepping for college applications, but rest assured we will reward you for the trouble." Kobayakawa then cleared his throat. "I understand you're applying to a lot of selective colleges."

"Very selective," Kamoshida piped.

Kobayakawa nodded. "Indeed. And expensive. How is your sister doing?"

She bit her tongue for the moment. "Fine."  _Ignoring her health, sleep schedule, stress….just "fine." There's no need to rub it in…_

Kobayakawa then began to grin. "I suppose, given she is attempting to live up to the Nijima name. Helping us would only improve, maybe surpass the pedigree set before by your sister and father. I'm fairly confident my recommendation would help you along in your college and scholarship search."

Makoto looked at him incredulously. "You're fairly confident. I'm not sure if I need something like that."

His grin evaporated. "I'll let you think over. I would just suggest you do the most beneficial thing for you. For your sister." He then strained to hand over a note. "Feel free to contact us if Kurusu behaves suspiciously enough to warrant intervention before the faculty meeting. Your due diligence will help to the rule of law upheld there."

Makoto took the note to see two numbers, the upper one labeled "Executive" and the lower "K." "K's" number had made her do a double take, enough to ignore Kobayakawa's amusing choice for an alias.  _This number's….different than before._ She then felt ashamed for knowing that. "I pray I will not have to do so with great urgency. Excuse me, I must return to my studies. Until tomorrow." She then bowed and made her way out of the faculty room.

Kobayakawa and Kamoshida, now alone, felt free enough to talk.

"Do you feel relaxed now?" Kobayakawa said. "Did Shiho Suzui provide you the outlet you needed?"

"…She did," Kamoshida replied. "I prefer not to go back to boys, to tell you the truth."

"What you prefer doesn't matter to me," Kobayakawa said coldly. "Keep your personal business to yourself."

"Fine," Kamoshida replied. "I won't disappoint you from here on. Though, I have my doubts about Nijima. What makes you think she'll help?"

"I believe her personal situation will be enough motivation," Kobayakawa replied confidently. "In either case, we can always trump something up involving the boy. Would be easy, as you suggested before."

A loud thud reverberated from the hallway, then frantic pitter-patters. Kamoshida then walked out to find a hole in a plastered wall down the hallway the size of a small fist.

"What kind of gutter trash would deface property like that?" Kamoshida wondered.

* * *

She rushed into the bathroom as quick as she could. Makoto then turned on the faucet to temper her raging red hand. Hearing all that Kamoshida and Kobayakawa said "in secrecy," she figured the cold water rushing over her clenched fist would calm her down, if ever slightly. Yet she couldn't shake her malaise.

 _Of course, I don't accept this!_  she cried inside.  _Then why did I just listen to this…garbage!?_ The throbbing in her hand broke her concentration for a moment. Her phone then buzzed in her vest pocket. She then took it out.  _Sis messaging this early? Probably wondering why I haven't returned yet, no doubt._  She opened the message:

 **Sis:** Apologies, but another mental shutdown case.

 **Sis:** I'll need to stay at the office again.

A minute later:

 **Sis:**  Please don't worry about me. I'll eat out."

Makoto knew at this point what she was going to say when the word "mental shutdown" came into the picture. Yet, today, it hit harder than usual.

Makoto then put her phone away.

She stared into the mirror. Facing herself, she hoped to see someone else other than what her superiors saw her as: a pawn, a siren, a bootlicker. But she saw nothing else. Only a Nijima. And given how her sister's schedule was, maybe soon the last of the Nijimas, to be worked to death like good ol' Sis.

_Or maybe…_

The drips of water on her hand, oddly enough, brought her back.

* * *

**Three years ago**

The sky poured on Makoto's hand despite being under her umbrella. It was fitting, given what today was.

Today, she was expected to grieve once more. She had read about the typical Japanese funeral ceremony in middle school for social studies. She had already gotten past the first day; it was just her and Sis; there too were members of the police force, who gave more than the minimum expected of them for condolence money. Makoto, to this day, wasn't sure about whether Dad or Mom had parents or relatives still alive; their apparent absence fed into her belief that they died a long time ago or didn't bother.  _If only they told me,_  she lamented. She lamented about other things. To name a few: not being able to give him to give him a long enough ceremonial name; not being able to buy enough chrysanthemums to lay on his grave; and not being able to afford a better-decorated urn. But then, the responsibility of planning fell on Sae, so Makoto imagined she was worried about this stuff already.

The temple was gracious enough to accept them on such notice. A priest from out of town by the name of Ryuzaki had stepped in to handle the ceremony in place of the temple head. He, along with a few of the younger help, carried the closed casket out to the crematorium. He had handed the two sisters beads; his father was one of the rare ones holding on to the Old Beliefs, as Sae noted.

The priest and his helpers laid the body on the cremator rack. Makoto felt nothing as the cremator carted the body into the furnace. She had been numb now, saturated with sadness to the point that had no tears left to shed. And so, clad in black, she stared ahead as the furnace glowed hot red, stoic.  _Just as he would want it…_

It was now time to pick out of the ashes the brittle bones to put into the urn. Makoto remembered, once again from her textbook, to order the bones from feet to head. She even combed through an anatomy textbook religiously to make sure.

As the two sisters picked the bones by themselves, Sae felt like speaking. "I never imagined I'd be doing this so early," she said weakly. "I had nightmares about this when he took the lead over the Shinjuku syndicate." She paused as Makoto continued to listen. "My head's a mess. It feels like….." Sae paused again, only for the bitter taste in her mouth to reappear. "…I warned him about this, though. For our sake. It all feels like…Dad was just born to destroy himself. It would explain why he chose death."

Makoto felt tempted to respond back, but she couldn't forgive herself if she didn't put Dad's remains in the urn correctly.

Sae's mouth started to get visibly stiff. "And now he has decided our fate by dying dishonorably."

Makoto was on the edge of weeping, scared of the world in store for her, and her sister, after they laid the ashes to rest in the cemetery.

* * *

**Present Day**

And, in a flash, that memory was gone from her head.

The future was uncertain.

An abyss as dark as the phone screen she stared at intently.

What was clear though was trepidation she had about Kobayakawa was fleeting.

She took a deep breath. "I suppose I've underestimated how much my life has been laid out for me." Another look at her phone screen, smiling sadly. "I AM that predictable. I am my father's daughter, after all."

_And to think...I was going to make him proud, by having something I did on my own._

_I promised him after all._

She still remembered the phone number.

She dialed it in. "Excuse me, is this Sojiro Sakura I'm speaking to?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Definitely my most experimental chapter yet. This is turning into more of a divergence than I expected, and I hope people enjoy the direction I've been going.
> 
> To those that have commented, thank you for leaving your comments. To those that have fav/followed/archived, I'm glad you're enjoying the story so far.
> 
> The next part of the chapter is looking to be longer and should hopefully come next week (if I don't decide last minute to make major changes XD). I'll also be just scanning this chapter for small grammatical revisions.
> 
> Stay tuned…


	12. "Old Habits..." Part II

It was a short train ride to Shibuya station, but for Akira, the concerned looks made it feel like a lifetime. The rattling of beakers and jars of unmentionable chemicals didn't help, despite his best efforts to hold them still in his bag.

Surprisingly, Morgana still fitted in with all the stuff gathered. "I take it back," Morgana said. "I prefer the locker."

"Just a little longer," Akira replied under his breath. "I've already told Ryuji to meet us at the station. We get the stuff, we split, start heading home and stop by the clinic on the way. Shouldn't take too long."

"You say that like it's going to be straightforward," Morgana replied. "And with two involved, nothing is ever simple."

Akira smiled. "I suppose so."

The train then arrived at Shibuya. Akira just passed the rush hour, so he didn't have to fight the crowd this time. Walking out, Akira saw Ryuji by the pillar, looking around anxiously.  _Probably for cops no doubt,_  Akira mused.

Ryuji then saw Akira and waved a hand. "Yo!" He walked towards him, sounding exasperated while holding a paper bag. He then glared at Akira's bandages. "You still look like shit. Here." He opened the bag to show a red hat. "I had to dash back to my old place to make it back here in time with some cash and this thing here so that you don't go drawing attention."

Akira grabbed the hat. It was a small, red cap, with the words "GET SMOKED" on the front. He reciprocated with a confused look on his face. "….Did it have to be red?"

Ryuji, snubbed, sighed. "This is what happens when you spring a decision on me the last minute. This is my only hat; I haven't worn a hat since middle school!"

Morgana poked out to see Ryuji's gift. He then lost control and yelped incessantly. Akira, in turn, shoved the cat back into his bag with his spare hand and zipped it back up again.

Akira took another look at the hat. "…At least it's better than nothing." As his eyes told him already, the hat barely fit, especially with his frizzy hair. The brim was large enough though not to draw too much attention to the wound.  _Plus,_ Akira thought,  _maybe this hat is a good thing; maybe people will pay attention to the obnoxious lettering instead._

Akira kept his head down as the trio walked out onto the ground floor. "Before we head over there, is there anything else we should know about, Morgana?"

"Not much," Morgana replied, muffled by the bag. "There's one more step to this once we find his Treasure, but basically we shouldn't be letting on that we're going to steal his Heart. If he knows our intent in the real world, we can't steal it again. Ever."

Akira eyes furrowed. "Like he'd ever believe the Other World if we tried."

"His subconscious would, even if he personally doesn't believe it. The human subconscious isn't always necessarily driven by logic."

Akira sighed. "I guess we should be diligent, then. Rather not give Kamoshida any reason to suspect us."

"I believe you. Ryuji on the other hand…"

"Dude, gimme some slack!" Ryuji groaned.

"You say that," Morgana replied. "But you seem like the type of guy that would say 'Hey, guys! Look at me I'm a Thief! WANNA KNOW WHAT I'M GOING TO DO?! I'm going to steal shit!'"

"Tch, whatever!" Ryuji said, waving off Akira's talking bag. "It's on one of the side streets off Central."

Despite rush hour ending, Central Street was packed, with signs ranging from "convenience store" to "arcade" glowing in the setting sun. The people meanwhile filled the air with all types of things: poorly sung lyrics over an acoustic guitar; random ravings of a sun god from some cultish-looking hobo; and politicians ranting about the twisted state of Japan and its tumbling economy, to name a few. For Akira, there wasn't a dull sound in the air. He though was focused on not drawing the eyes of the beat by the various stores to see to this stuff closely.

The two then their way into Ryuji's side alleyway. There wasn't much in the alley except a few bikes chained to a rack, a few aluminum trash bins, and the faint, but unfortunate smell of cat piss. Across the racks was their destination: "Untouchable," with green, English neon letters.

 _The owner seems to have blocked the stores with boxes of junk,_  Akira mused.  _Seems_ _like he doesn't like the attention. Reminds me of a certain barista…minus the charm._  "You haven't explained to me what this place actually is."

"An airsoft shop," Ryuji replied, smiling a little. "Pretty legit-looking, huh?" Ryuji was about to open to door but paused. "You wouldn't know anything about military stuff, would you?"

"What? No. My dad volunteers for the Coast Guard, but that still doesn't count."

"Well, anything we don't know we can ask the shopkeep. Let's just head in for now."

Akira then looked at his clothes. "Shit, we probably should have changed out of our uniforms before heading here," he lamented.

"Relax! I came in here the other day in my uniform, it's no big deal! Why you fussing about it?" Ryuji replied.

Akira's bag sighed. "I swear, he's hopeless."

Inside the store, the owner displayed variously packaged pellets in a glass display case. Behind him were a whole bunch of gun models hoisted on chain link fences. The fences were the only thing between the shopkeeper and his inventory in the back, that being a bunch of loose, plastic parts and half-opened boxes. The owner himself sat reclined in his seat, reading a gun catalog and laying his legs on the display counter, in front of where he placed his laptop.

Several seconds passed by. The owner didn't budge, only shifting in his seat, his head sinking further into the magazine like an Amazon explorer in quicksand. Akira though could still see traces of a face: a gray scruff, with the tattoo of a gecko trailing down his neck. Speaking of geckos, the earphones hanging on the forehead of his gray conductor's hat made him seem like a yellow-eyed lizard.  _I wouldn't be surprised if he started to flick his reptilian tongue if we stared a bit longer,_  Akira thought to himself as he waited.

Another half a minute passes by. The manager budged, but only with a halfhearted, impatient sigh. "Are you ready yet?" he spoke. "Or you going to ask for recommendations?"

The two teenagers paused. Akira decided to break the ice. "What would you recommend, if you don't mind?"

The owner shrugged apathetically. "Just pick one you like."

Akira eyes dimmed. "Great recommendation."

The owner chuckled slightly. "You would have had a better chance for useful advice if you got a hat that fits you right."

Akira grunted and took off his hat. "Just take your hat back, Ryuji. I don't need it," he said, pushing the cap onto Ryuji's chest.

The owner's glare kept steady. "...Fine, you want an automatic? A revolver?"

Ryuji stumbled. "Automatic...are we talking about cars now?"

"Jesus Christ, Ryuji!" Akira said breathlessly. "Just get us a fancy looking gun, one that looks convincing!"

The owner's eyes lit up. "You seem enthusiastic about guns." He then threw his magazine on the counter and leaned forward. "Should have said so sooner." He then turned to Ryuji. "If only your blond friend here wasn't so casual about them."

"WHAT THE HELL?!" Ryuji yelled. "I just bought shit from here last week! How am I the casual?"

The owner turned his head. "...Seriously? Don't remember."

"Bastard..." Ryuji muttered.

"Here's the deal. Kick your friend out and I'll sell you what you need."

"WHAT?!" Ryuji cried. "Why?!"

"My clientele wouldn't like casuals spoiling the place," he said surily. He then turned to Akira. "Well?"

"Sorry, Ryuji. Just give me your cash and I'll buy you something? Sound good?"

Ryuji sighed. "Ok. Just buy me something awesome-looking, 'k?"

"Crystal."

Ryuji waited outside.

"Before I sell these guns, though, you remember the Three Wise Monkeys?"

Akira raised an eyebrow. "See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil, correct?"

"That's right. Take it literally. Don't go waving these babies around. And don't let the fuzz know about them. I don't want that type of shit breathing down my neck."

"You seem paranoi-"

The owner leaned forward more. "What. Did I. Just. Say?"

"Oh fine, I won't be a smartass. I'll let my friend know too."

"Smart-ass kid. For now, I'll give you a beginner's selection. Your balls drop more, and I might show you some...'premium' models. Gimme a second." The owner then walked in the back.

"That was close," Morgana commented. "I was almost worried he wasn't going to sell you anything."

"Tell me about it," Akira responded. "So...I'm going to take a limb and say we should get some 'convincing' gear then."

"That's the game. The more convincing, the more the Shadows will bend to it."

"Crystal," Akira replied while nodding.

The shopkeeper came back with a large duffel bag. Laying it on the counter, he zipped it open to reveal a pistol and a pump shotgun. "I pegged you for a Colt .45, if you don't mind."

Akira reached in to grab the pistol and play with its lever.  _Something about it...the weight maybe...it just...feels right_.

The shopkeeper continued. "You look closely, you can tell these are models. Besides, real guns...weigh differently."

Akira's eyes then drifted to the shelf left of him. It held a variety of replica blades.

He turned back to the shopkeeper. "Those blades for sale, by chance?"

"A blade enthusiast too?" the shopkeeper said, smiling. "Sure, if you have the cheddar. They're dulled, so you won't be chopping people's heads off."

Akira then walked towards the kukri on display.  _People's heads, yes...but Shadows' heads, maybe?_

* * *

Several minutes passed by. Ryuji anxiously paced in front of the store with his hands in his pocket. Akira then came out, bringing out the entire duffel bag. And then some.

"Sorry, Ryuji, I spent everything," Akira said.

Ryuji motioned towards his duffel bag, but Akira blocked him. "Just zip it slightly open and look inside," he demanded of Ryuji.

Ryuji nodded and looked through the small hole he made, smiling giddily as he did. "That shotgun looks boss!"

"You think you can carry it back with you? I don't want Sojiro to ask where I got the duffel from."

"I got you," Ryuji replied. "My mom comes back late, and she doesn't go in my room. I'll find somewhere there to hide it in."

Akira then handed off the duffel to him. "Just keep your head down in the meantime."

"Will do." The two then took their separate ways as Ryuji walked back to the station.

Akira then sighed as he looked at the time of his phone.  _It's getting so late. I should make my way to the clinic sooner rather than later._ Before he got out of the alley, however, an unfortunately familiar face appeared.

"INMATE!" Caroline yelled in her typical, shrill voice as she stood by a barred door that peered into a neon blue space. "Our master has a serious announcement!"

Akira's shoulders sunk. "I'm going to pretend I didn't hear you. I'm too busy. Just wait until I go to sleep." He then paused. "Wait, why are you here?"

"We exist between mind and reality. Doesn't mean we can't exist in your mind whenever we-WAIT, STOP WALKING AWAY."

"I'm busy," he said, starting to glide away. "I have wo-" He then had a sharp pain behind his knee that made him stumble onto the ground.

"You're such a pain, inmate, forcing me to use my baton on you!" Caroline cried.

"That's precious, being insulted by..." He checked his shoulder. His bag wasn't on there. His teeth started to clench. "I swear, if the stuff in the bag that I dropped is broken..." He looked around but didn't see it anywhere. "Wait, where did it-"

"As my brash sister said, we can exist in  _your mind_  whenever we want," a soft-toned girl said. He looked in front and saw that Justine was now in front of him. "Do you understand now where you are?"

He then saw the people out on Central Street were frozen. "Yeah...I think I get it..."

She then motioned to the door, and Akira turned around to look at it more.

Justine continued. "There is no need to worry. When we are done with you, you will have stood still in the real world for a few seconds."

"Now," Caroline cried. "Get IN ALREADY!"

Caroline appeared behind Akira's back and jump kicked him into the door, falling into an endless blue abyss.

Justine then shook her head. "He was going to acquiesce anyway."

Caroline smirked. "That was more entertaining of an entrance though."

"Might we go then, Caroline? Master is probably waiting."

"With pleasure. The last time we poked in here, his mind was going to some weird places. I am NOT sticking around when that happens."

"I suppose so. They are...odd."

Akira, expecting to be splat on the floor, instead woke up on his back in the Velvet Room.

"Welcome, Trickster," Igor said. "This will be quick. I would like to congratulate you on taking the next step of your journey."

"Next step?" Akira wondered.

"We have seen your Heart, and we are convinced. This is why I will call attention to a special trait. Use it well; you will know when you see it.

Akira's face scrunched, wondering if there was more Igor had to say.

"I will also direct you to another tool to use in your conjunction with your special trait. Use it well, when the time comes." He then directed his hand to a black guillotine, its blade gleaming from the very top.

"Wait...why the guillto-"

"Until next time," Igor interrupted.

Akira then opened his eyes and found himself in the alley. He reflexively put his hand on his shoulder. His bag was still there. He opened inside.

Morgana was there, looking at him. "Are we going or not? You've been standing here not responding to me."

"I...sorry, let's just get going. The Clinic awaits."

* * *

For Makoto, taking the detour to Yongen through the tight alleyways was rather calming. She felt as if she entered another world, one removed from the ferried rivers of people and oppressive towers hovering behind her back. And today, she had no tolerance for that.

She was on task though. She "had to return something" to Akira after all. And barrage him with questions once he came around.

She found herself at the address listed on Akira's record. "A...coffee shop? This...can't be right." She walked around to see if there was a side alley she missed, but she saw none. She walked back in front of LeBlanc. "Occam's Razor, then." She reached out for the door. Inside was an empty coffee shop, dark-smelling arabica coating Makoto's nostrils. A buttery smell then crept in.  _Meat c_ _urry perhaps?_  she wondered. Her stomach grumbled.  _I...shouldn't. Besides, I can't control the nutrients anyway..._

The sound of an irate, old man came from the kitchen behind the bar counter to her right. "Goddamnit kid, answer your phone when I-" he then saw Makoto. Embarrassingly, he switched tones. "Oh, forgive me. I just have someone who works here that is just troublesome." He then smiled. "Please come in and take a seat."

Makoto smiled bashfully as she sat on a barstool. "No worries; is that 'someone' by the name of Akira Kurusu by chance?"

"You waiting for him?" he replied, with a satisfied smile on his face. "Well I got to hand it to him, he knows how to grab the elegant ones quick. Hoo-boy..."

"...I'm lost," she replied, her face blank and tilted to the side. "I'm just returning his phone, that's all. You probably already know this, but he took a spill. He's ok, but he seemed to drop his phone in the process."

Sojiro raised his eyebrow. "Oh." Her words then started to settle in, and he began to press his hand into his forehead. "Sounds like he's more of a bonehead than he let on. Why didn't get his phone from you then?"

 _Just keep going._  "He was busy resting, on nurse's orders. I was hoping to drop it off based on his public address, but it led me to here. Would you know where he lives?"

"Upstairs," he replied, pointing upwards.

Makoto put a hand to her mouth. "He...actually lives here?" She looked at the wooden ceiling above her. She could see the dust seeping from above.  _I couldn't imagine studying up there...I almost feel kind of bad. I really should show Akira the library if he hasn't seen it already.  
_

"He isn't here yet," Sojiro continued. "I've been trying to call him, but now I know why he hasn't been answering."

Makoto sighed, eyes closed. "I was hoping to meet him here, but...he walked off. The nurse mentioned before I left Shujin that he was going to stop by a clinic." She then placed a hand on her chest, her face slightly anguished. "I hope he's ok, after today."

Sojiro placed his hand behind his neck. "Hey, don't worry about it. You said it yourself, he took a spill. He seems to be ok if he's going to walk off like that. I'm just sorry you have to pay for him being so inconsiderate." He paused, taking a closer look at her. "You mind telling me who you are, by chance?"

"Oh sorry," she replied. "Forgive me. The name is Makoto Nijima. I'm, well, the Student Council President at Shujin Academy."

"The Student Council President?" he said, his mouth staying open slightly. "Wait, are you sure he isn't up to anything? Why out here? You're probably some overachiever who would rather study instead."

She smiled sadly. "...No one would volunteer."  _Not exactly...but sadly, I wouldn't be surprised if this were the outcome if it were seriously proposed._

Sojiro sighed. "Such a shame. I would hope he could associate with someone decent by now." He then smiled out of the blue. "Perhaps you could change that. I could imagine him mellowing out if he spent more time with you."

"From my interactions with him, he seems like quite the hassle. Besides, my Presidential duties tend to eat up my time anyway."

"Yeah well, I suppose you don't have time for dating anyway."

"...Dating?" she said. "I...wait, what?" She started to feel hotter for some reason. "I have no idea why that's being brought up now!"

Sojiro chuckled. "Sorry, I'm being a bit mean." He then went back behind the bar counter to mess with a batch of fresh curry being prepared. "I probably assumed you were just a normal teenager. But I guess being the Student Council President should have tipped me off." He paused. "You know, there's no need to wait here. You can drop off the phone and be on your way. Else your parents might start to worry."

"...They're not here anymore. Sorry. It's just my sister, and she's busy tonight. It's no rush."

"Oh...I-I'm sorry," he said, caught off guard. Sojiro turned to see Makoto, leaning on her left hand, staring out at the door, a trace of haggardness appearing around her eyes. "It's ok. It's been a while. I'm...just more tired right now. It's been a long day. I...he wanted to study with me today. I felt like obliging him. It would be a change of pace from studying at home."

"Study with you?" he said incredulously. "There's still hope then...though is your sister ok with this?"

She smiled weakly. "She's fine with it." She tried to keep from thinking about the lashing she would receive if she stayed out too late, but being so tired put her mental guard down.  _So this is what being overcome with exhaustion feels like,_  she thought.  _I feel even sorrier for Sis already._

A minute of silence occurred between the two. Then came the clink of a china saucer. Makoto, zoned out, was caught by surprise. "Coffee?" she observed. It was a dark roast, in an immaculately white coffee cup.

"You can sip it while you're waiting for him. Free of charge."

"I...but they say that caffeine if you drink it too late can interfere with sleep."

She looked at the dark, chocolate colored foam on its surface. She then looked at the time once more.

"I suppose I could lift my spirits." She conceded, pulled out a book on criminal psychology and took a small sip.

* * *

Akira had finally walked his way to Yongen. He would have headed directly to Takemi Medical Clinic, if it were not for a quick stop to one of the secondhand stores around LeBlanc to get some spare sheet metal. "I can only wonder what the sheet metal and palm oil is for," Akira said skeptically.

"I'll show you tonight," his bag uttered. "Just focus on getting this out of the way."

Akira approached a blue hole-in-the-wall with "T.M.C." plastered in thin, red letters. "I can't lie, this is rather convenient for me. Why out here this far?" He shrugged and entered inside.

The waiting room in this clinic only fit four people and two lazily placed ferns. Akira was the only one in. Behind the Plexiglas-protected counter was a lady in a white lab-coat with a messy, black bob cut, sitting at a desktop with a bored expression.

She raised her hand, revealing short cut nails painted with a blood-red coat. "Please take a number and then wait in line until you are called."

He looked around, wondering if she was talking to a ghost. "Uhh, miss? I don't think there's anyone waiting."

She slowly turned away from the screen, continuing to look unfazed. She stared for a bit at the empty space. "I suppose so," she acceded, tired-sounding as before. "Please proceed into the examination room," she continued, pointing towards the door to his immediate right.

Akira, wanting to make this as fast as possible, went through the door she directed him to.

The doctor lingered at the computer, looking over the records the school nurse sent. "Ahh...I see. You're 'marked.' Fine, I'll make this quick. The experimental medicine should wrap things up quickly."

Several minutes passed with Akira sitting on an examination bed. Then, she walked in with a small vial with a gel-like substance and sat down in a chair across from his, showing off her long, pale legs, her black, lace boots, and the black choker around his neck.

"Examination history first. Do you smoke?" she said.

"No."

She checked off with a pen an item on her examination sheet. "Excellent. Are you above the age of 16?"

"Sure, why-"

Check. "Moving on. The notes said head injury. Did you suffer from slurred speech or a lack of motor function, even momentarily, at the time of injury.?"

"I blacked out a bit. I woke up after a while, and then walk-"

"Wonderful." Check. "Memory still is good."

Akira rared up. "Hold on miss, I don't think a potential concussion is wonder-"

"Quiet," she barked. "Take off your bandages."

Lost as ever, he slowly took off his bandages. The doctor meanwhile flashed a small flashlight in his eyes, waving it around his orbits. "Contractions are symmetric. Good enough for me. No concussion. If anything, maybe stress-related."

His heart was beating furiously at this point. "Stress-related? Hold on a minute! You can't just determine that just out of the-"

"Signs of agitation, increased gasping between sentences. I'll agree: bit of a stretch, but it's more common than people think. And I don't feel like drawing blood today." She then stood to approach his head. "Just to be safe, this gel will assist in healing." She then applied a patch of gel-covered gauze around his still weeping wound. "I'll give your four vials of this. Apply to your head when changing your bandages and don't forget to triple wrap."

Akira could feel "something" working at the very least; his wound felt tingly and hot, while the aches and pains from his voyages into Kamoshida's castle were starting to go away.  _This is...wow, this is really loosening me up..._ "This...what is this?"

"Something experimental. Don't worry, its not an opiate. You're not going to get hooked on this. Now, please direct yourself to the reception area to handle payment." She then pointed out back where Akira came.

"Um...ok?" Akira replied. He walked out with his goodie bag and into the reception area.

The doctor sighed. "Why are all the 'marked ones' so annoying to deal with? Mizuhi over at that damn school should start sending less nosy patients. I hope the data's worth it."

* * *

Feeling limber once again, he jauntily walked down the side street to Yongen. Approaching LeBlanc, however, made Akira self-conscious again.  _Shit...Sojiro's going to have a fit. I didn't think about that._  He sighed in defeat.  _Not much I can do to explain this._

With a deep swallow, he opened the door to LeBlanc, ready to explain away. "Sojiro, don't get mad at me, I can expla-"

His eyes widened, seeing Makoto seated comfortably by the bar, sipping away at coffee. She welcomed him with a small smile. "I see you're ok enough to walk here," she said. "Whoever your physician was seemed to dress your wound ok."

Sojiro, stern-faced, walked up directly to Akira to take a closer look. "Eh, I thought it would look worse."

His still demeanor was an even bigger surprise.  _And here I thought he would tear me up,_ Akira observed. _I almost thought those missed calls were from him for a minute._   _Seems like though he's more stoic than I imagined._ "I had a good doctor."

Sojiro started to smile. "Well, you shouldn't keep your lady friend behind you waiting. Here." He put a key in his hand. "Lock it up when you guys are done. Take your time."

"Why you leaving all of a sudden?" Akira said. "It isn't even 9 PM."

Sojiro was already facing the door, about to leave, his white fedora planted on his head. "Something came up. Don't break anything. And read the note I left by the curry pot." He then opened the door and turned the wooden sign on the door to "CLOSED" streetwise.

"What the...whatever." He then turned to Makoto. "Just give me a second to put my stuff away." He then calmly walked up to the attic and then hid his equipment behind the blue tarp.

He let Morgana out. "Your favorite person is here. Doesn't that make you excited?" Akira said to him.

"Don't make me claw your eyes out, you glorified gimp," Morgana replied cattily. "I swear, if she finds out-"

"She won't," Akira interrupted. "I got this," he said, changing into some casual clothes. "I'll talk to her and she'll be gone."

He then walked down the stairs. Each creaky step though made his heart race.  _Ok, maybe this is going to be harder than this looks._

_Wait, what am I talking about, this should be simple._

_Then why am I getting nervous?_

_Get it together! You're better than this!_

He took another deep breath before returning to the cafe floor. He came down to find Makoto laying on an open palm, reading.

Akira wasn't sure why, but he felt like looking at her for a bit, in all of her demure glory. Then, the thought came to him. _Damn...it just came to me how long of a day it's been for us. I'm surprised she's been holding it together. That coffee she's sipping might be the best thing she's had today._

Akira's face sunk slightly.  _And then...me being brash probably gave her a heart attack._  He then remembered Sojiro left a personal note in the back of the kitchen. "Just hold on; I just need to look at what he left in the back, too."

Walking in the back, he was almost distracted by the strong, meaty smells that settled in. In spite of this, he found a hastily written note next to the slow cooker.

He read it to himself:

_Kid,_

_If that lady friend of yours is still here, and you arrive soon enough so that she doesn't end up leaving or realizing I gave her substandard coffee to give you an opportunity, then you can continue on. Otherwise, you're just an idiot and you should bow your head in shame._

_Sojiro, you're so dramatic,_ Akira said quietly. He continued:

 _Now, hoo-boy! You have a fairly attractive young lady in here that looks like she has had a bad day. I've lived long enough and have had enough teen couples trickling in here to know how these 'study dates' work. This is your chance, but, her being tired and all, you're not going to win her over and assert your manhood_ -

_OH COME ON, YOU LECHEROUS OLD MAN! Find another pair of teenagers to create your high-school scandal fantasy with._

_I-I mean, she IS a fairly attractive young lady. That's smart. And hard-working. But..._

"I'm too tired for this shit," he muttered.

He continued reading silently. He scanned past all of the ramblings about his escapades as a teenager and got to the last part.

_ Now, if you want to perk her up, give her some coffee according to this recipe. Follow it to the THE DOT. Maybe feed her, I dunno. Apply some charm. You'll figure it out. _

_ Sojiro _

_P.S. Don't lose my spare key, punk. And don't forget to lock the door_.

"Thanks Sojiro," Akira replied sarcastically under his breath.  _Still...she could use some lightening up, maybe. Ehh, it couldn't hurt._ He walked over to Makoto via the kitchen side of the counter.

"So umm...you want a refill on that?" Akira said to her.

She laid down her book, her eyes looking tired. "I...isn't all of this coffee so..."

"Good?" Akira interjected.

Makoto became embarrassed. "Well, yes, but I might not be able to sleep..."  _Plus I'll get dehydrated and my solutes will...screw it._ "Ok..." she acceded, smiling weakly. "I'll let you make something, then I'll speak. It'll get me more time to read anyway."

5 minutes passed. Despite initial fears of breaking the delicate-looking filters required and adding the wrong volume of water, Akira felt he did ok. He trialed his concoction with a spoon.  _Mhm...not bad. Though I'm curious what Sojiro thinks is substandard._ He then poured it into the new cup. Before he presented, he also forgot to consider whether to pair the coffee with curry.  _Ehh, why not._

And so Akira came out of the back, coffee and curry in hand.

Makoto broke her concentration to look. "Curry?"

Akira smiled. "Trust me, they go well together."

Makoto smiled.  _This is rather excessive; seems like such an unbalanced meal...and yet...it's kinda sweet._  "Maybe in a bit," she responded.

The two then had an awkward pause and looked away, each having something they wanted to say.

Akira went first. "I'm sorry for today. I went overboard on the roof and all. Your blood pressure probably has seen better days."

Makoto smiled dolefully, looking away. "You know, it's funny. I tried to warn you off, fearing you were going to be brash. I didn't expect you to almost kill yourself trying to save someone. You should have seen it, when you were at the infirmary, resting. You looked pretty bad."

"Sorry," Akira replied uncomfortably.

"And yet...sorry, this is so terrible to say...now that I think about it in that way, all of that made me kind of happy."

"Happy?" he said, smiling confusedly.

"W-well, I'm not happy you got injured," she said reflexively, holding her hand. "I-it's just...hear me out."

Akira looked at her hand. There were red welts on her knuckles. "What happened to your hand?"

Makoto blushed. "Oh! I, uh, had an accident. Th-that's all! Raised my hand up quick!"

Akira's remembered Tae's medicine. "Just hold that thought. I'll be back."

Half a minute later, Akira came back with a spare vial. "Hold still." He knelt down and grabbed Makoto's hand.

Makoto's face turned fully red.

 _"_ Huh?" Akira said, applying the healing gel to his fingers. "Why you look so embarrassed?"

"I...you just do things so randomly."

"I'm just putting something to make it heal, that's all. My physician gave this to me. It won't be too much." He gently rubbed her knuckles with it.

Makoto felt the warmness happen immediately. "Wow, this feels amazing! My arm feels so energized. I wouldn't mind having some of this after my aikido lessons."

"Hmm. So that would explain why you were so good at restraining me the other day," Akira teased.

"Please don't rub that in."

Akira let go of her hand and wiped the rest using a rag towel. He then grabbed a plate of curry for himself and sat next to Makoto. "You were saying?"

"Right...I guess what I mean to say...is being a Student Council President has been lately like crafting your own noose."

Akira raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

She paused. "Today, after what happened to Shiho...I couldn't help but feel like I was set to fail in one way or the other. For the longest time, I've had to let proof trickle in, bit by bit, student by student, under that...fat ASSHOLE's nose...and I've wasted all this time, and sacrificed those that needed me the most. You know, Kobayakawa and Kamoshida are trying to get you expelled, EXPELLED, come the next school board meeting, for trying to save to Shiho." She choked for a second. "Shiho..."

She then pulled out a blue phone, taking Akira by surprise; it was the phone he pulled off of Shiho, and she somehow got to it.  _Wait...this make sense now; someone had to leave my bag by the bedside._ _But still...she didn't have to be nosy._ His heart then sunk.  _Still...I wasn't the most delicate when I decided to take a phone off a barely alive girl._

"I saw...what was on here. I..." she took another breath. "I'm sorry. I had to. I saw it in your pocket and...I just found it aberrant you would have another phone, so I took it and...I'm sorry. After Shiho...I was so upset. About a lot of things. Desperate even. For anything. And then I saw it was unlocked, which is not something most people do.."

Akira sat next to her, eyes closed, and listened. "Go on. Take your time."

She took a minute to compose a coherent thought. "I've only read of this in my spare time...but I would never imagine seeing this type of suicidal behavior up close. I could only postulate...but perhaps, she was inviting someone in, whether it be some random student, or investigator, to look further. Like...a cry for desperation."

Akira sighed heavily. "This is weighing down on you, isn't it?"

Makoto continued, her head staring at the ground. "There was something...off about it. The number listed and Kamoshida's known personal number are not the same. It's possible he has a separate phone...but...in the photo, Shiho is..." She cleared her throat. "...She's...in front of a desk with an inactive monitor. The room is dimly lit, so the persona taking the photo would need to use a flash. It's hard to see..but the shadow cast on the floor would indicate...it's a different person. Smaller. Maybe...even a student." She paused again. "You...can have it back. I've already taken a picture of...her. Just for reference." She buried her face in her hands. "God, look at me, I must look like the most unhinged person."

There was a brief pause. After that, Makoto decided to peak out from her hands to see why Akira wasn't saying anything. It turned out Akira was waiting for her to show herself, holding a spoonful of curry.

"You know, you can binge if you want. It's fine," Akira said, motioning her to take a bite.

"But, I shouldn't..."

Akira taunted with the spoon. "It'll make you feel less shitty."

"Language!" she cried out loud. "Oh fine!" She forcefully grabbed Akira's spoon and shoved the curry in her mouth. "My diet is ruin-"

The flavors started to kick in.

"Oh my...this is amazing!" she started to eat it furiously. "So...MEATY... _such varieti uf dep and flaver_ " she said, her mouth stuffed with curry and rice.

He smiled quizzically. "Uhh...oxygen might be more important though."

Makoto became flush and swallowed her bites. "I-I'm sorry...Maybe I'll just go back to coffee now." She quickly took a sip. "Wow, the acidity of this coffee REALLY does complement the deep, rich taste of the meat."

"What can I say, coffee and curry here go pretty well," Akira said while smiling.

Makoto returned with a modest grin. "I'm just surprised you're able to make such good coffee. To be honest, you probably make coffee as good as the owner."

Akira smiled nervously. "Yeah...I guess so."  _Goddamnit, Sojiro, this is working so good it's kind of scary._

Her sincere expression then became a guilty stare to the side. "You really are too nice to me." She held a tongue for a brief minute. "You really shouldn't pity puppets. I was there when Kobayakawa and Kamoshida were trying to crucify you for trying to save Shiho, but I couldn't really speak up for you. And now, knowing how the school board is, that plan of theirs might succeed given your record."

"When is it?"

"A week and a half from now. Three will preside, along with the Principal and select faculty."

 _This is really bad..._ "A  _bona fide_  Inquisition," Akira said out loud. He then stood up and put his hands in his pocket. "Looks like...we're going to have to expose them fast then. Count me in."

Makoto couldn't believe it. "You do realize that a case might not be there before the meeting?"

He shrugged. "I should still try either way. Plus, if your guess is right...this whole Shiho thing might be more complicated than what was previously thought."

Makoto sighed, closed her eyes, and swallowed another spoonful of curry and rice. "I suppose I shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth." Despite her discouragement, she smiled slightly. "I suppose it'll be nice to depend on someone for a change. I'll send you what I have later tonight. I may have learned how to operate my smartphone until recently, but I can operate the Camera App on there pretty well. I have a year's worth of personal information I've collected on potential Kamoshida victims and such. Maybe you can give a fresh perspective. Maybe even find things I've missed."

Akira was taken aback. _Never imagined she would go digital Gestapo on members of the Student Body...it's almost kind of...impressive. I should do some soul-searching_   _later._ "Fine then. A caper of a task we have then."

She looked at her phone and looked slightly disappointed. "I really should get going. Even though Sis is coming late and the curry being so good, I really should get back and get ready for school tomorrow."

Akira smiled and nodded; he noticed that the sun had more or less set. "Don't worry. Well, finish quickly then."

A few minutes later, she stood, having completed her food. She then grabbed her bag. "Well, thanks for the food. I think...I needed this." She then playfully bowed, smiling politely. "If you'll excuse me."

She took a step towards the door when she stopped suddenly.

"Did you forget something?"

She then turned around. "Humor me before I go. I know I've kind of asked this already, but...are you...afraid of what fate will throw at you, at all?"

"Why are you asking this?" Akira wondered.

She turned downcast, nibbling on your lower lip. "I'm truly scared for you; before coming, I wondered whether your story was already written and there was nothing you or I could have done to change it. But...you seem so calm. Why do you...keep going, even now?"

Akira's face became still. "Well...I suppose..." He paused. "I suppose I was. But then, I reckoned at the end of each dark tunnel, there's a light at the end of it. May not be true...but I got to try. At least...that's what I feel. Even if I say otherwise."

The furls on Makoto's forehead flattened. She stared at Akira, her eyes relaxed and approving. "Thank you. For being honest with me. On the rooftop, and now, here."

Akira stared back, eyes locked and lost in her earnest, rubyish eyes.  _Should I?_ he wondered.

The long day had made Akira exhausted enough to give in to the smallest of impulses.

He walked slowly to Makoto, and embraced her. "Hey...thank you. For believing in me. The 'real' me."

A warm tingling radiated down her spine and out through her body. "H-hey, w-w-hat did I tell you about being so f-f-forward?!"

Akira smiled coyly. "This is payback for invading my personal space while I was unconscious."

"Y-y-you're so mean!" she replied, flashing red.

Her embarrassment seemed to betray her, as they held on for a while, the churning in each of their bellies settled down after a bit. For fatigued Akira, it was the wind in his sails. For Makoto, the dark roast stuck in Akira's frizz drew her like a moth to a flame.

"Just...be careful next time," she said quietly next to his ear. Makoto, heavy as her hands started to feel, let go and walked dazed out of LeBlanc and into an indigo sunset.

"You finished now?" Morgana said while yawning.

Akira, still smiling, nodded towards his companion.

"God, you look so starstruck right now, it's disgusting," he said, grimacing.

"Hush," Akira replied quietly, walking without qualms up to the attic.

Morgana then jumped over to the uncleared desk next to his bed. "Was that stuff with that girl necessary? It seems like everything you're doing with her is just a distraction."

Akira then shoved the junk on the desk onto the floor. "Are you going to show me your special crafting skills already? I'm curious to see how I can improve on my old recipes."

Morgana then leaped onto the now cleared desk. "You didn't answer my question."

Akira yawned. "Yes."

Morgana scowled. "You said that to spite me."

He reached under the blue tarp behind him for his duffel bag. "It was necessary for me."

Morgana, belly laid on the table, cocked his head. "Pray tell what you mean."

He exhaled through his nose as he gave Morgana a wan grin. He then unzipped the bag and pulled out a vial labeled "red phosphorous" and a measuring flask. "I guess with Prez downstairs...it was me wishing for the good guys to be rewarded for their pain." He chuckled. "I haven't thought like that since I was a kid. Hell, maybe I AM still that kid." He then pulled out some matches and lit one. "I guess it's like what they say: Old habits die hard."

He darted his eyes though.

For as much as he felt a certain giddiness one gets with a sense of being embraced for who you are...

It reminded him of a feeling. The converse.

One of loneliness. Of alienation.

The kind that is gained from being locked in too many times, whether as a young one in his room or as an inmate in a pale, white cell.

The kind that reminded him of his desperation to feel like the world could bend to him.

To let him in.


	13. No God, No Master Part I

4/16

Akira's eyes opened heavily. He was woken gently with a sliver of sunlight patting him on his face. He then snorted, taking in the fumes from his experiments the night before.  _Rotten eggs; sulfurous fumes…they take me back._ He smiled. He then stood, taking his head away from his work table only to have the worst pain in his back.  _This is what I get for falling asleep in a chair,_  he moaned to himself.

He then realized it was a school morning and scrambled to check the time on his phone.  _6:30AM…_ He sighed in relief.  _Sojiro's not here yet._  He then noticed he missed some new messages sent half an hour ago. From some snoop he didn't recognize.

 **(MYSTERY SNOOP):** Hey.

 **(MYSTERY SNOOP):** This is Makoto Nijima.

 **(MYSTERY SNOOP):** I'm sorry; I forgot to send you what I had the other day. I

 **(MYSTERY SNOOP):** Got

 **(MYSTERY SNOOP):** Distracted.

He rubbed his forehead.  _Yeah…that's what happens when I lay it too thick. Sentimental jackass._

He then switched to chuckling.  _But man…the look on Prez's face though._

He continued reading, rubbing his swollen, baggy eyelids.

 **(MYSTERY SNOOP):** I think I was too tired to remember things.

 **(MYSTERY SNOOP):** And…seeing how urgent things are right now, I'm letting you down.

 **(MYSTERY SNOOP):** Please look at what I have.

 **(MYSTERY SNOOP):** For now….like I said, be careful.

He noticed she waited four minutes before sending the next message.

 **(MYSTERY SNOOP):** They will try to find anything to use against you until then.

 **(MYSTERY SNOOP):** Don't draw attention to yourself.

 **(MYSTERY SNOOP):** Knowing you so far, this might be hard. So please be extra vigilant.

He squinted his eyes.  _Thanks for rubbing it in._

 **(MYSTERY SNOOP):** Well…see you later!

He then scrolled to Ryuji's thread, his pointing finger stiff. "Time to get ready. As best as I can…man, today is going to suck."

 **AKIRA:**  Ryuji, make sure to bring the gear today.

 **AKIRA:** We're going back.

 **RYUJI:** Got it.

A few seconds later:

 **RYUJI** : Hey….

 **RYUJI:** You doing ok?

 **RYUJI:** You still didn't tell me how you got that gash on your head.

 **RYUJI:** I was trying to hear what happened from the nurse when I saw you

 **RYUJI** : Something about almost falling and hitting your head and shit

 **RYUJI:** Seemed weird.

 **RYUJI:** You also didn't message me back the other day.

 **RYUJI:** You ok?

Akira blew a jet of air through the side of the mouth.

 **AKIRA:** Sorry, I was busy planning and zoning out.

 **AKIRA:** I get like that.

 **AKIRA:** Before with that whole mess, it was Shiho.

 **AKIRA:** I tried to reach out to her when she was falling.

 **AKIRA:** I couldn't get to her in time, and I was about to join her.

 **AKIRA:**  Luckily, somebody was up there to keep me from falling.

 **AKIRA:** A girl, no less.

 **RYUJI:**  Dude…

A good minute passed.

 **RYUJI:** This is so effed up!

 **RYUJI:** Goddamnit, I'm going to be in such a shitty mood today!

 **RYUJI:** But seriously, she would have to be some buff ass chick to be grabbing you on short notice.

Akira smiled sadly.

 **AKIRA:** Not someone you'd want to be on first name basis that's for sure.

 **AKIRA:**  Just watch yourself until after school. Don't go picking fights until then.

 **RYUJI:**  ….I'll try.

 **AKIRA:** Cool. See you in the alleyway after school.

He turned around, noticing Morgana sleeping still on his bed. He walked over and snapped his fingers into its furry ears.

"Time to wake up, furball. You'll have more space today. Just don't jostle around too much."

He then turned back to the workbench, moving the scattered beakers and hot plates he gathered from yesterday to reach a container filled with a mix of red and white powder.  _Some potassium chlorate and red phosphorus….the "dazzling powder" recipe from 6 years ago should work fine here, if last night's…'demos' in the street were reliable enough. Though…._  "Morgana?"

Morgana yawned. "What?"

"I suppose you should remind me." Akira then gave a bear yawn. "When it comes to this type of stuff, the actual explosive yield matters less compared to the 'boom factor', no?"

"That seems correct. You just have to remember that these Shadows are…impressionable creatures. The more loud, bombastic, or pyrotechnical these concoctions of yours are, the more they'll believe in their power."

Akira smiled. "If only I could talk to them in believing in nonexistent bombs."

Morgana shrugged. "I dunno. In theory, anything's possible if you're convincing enough in that World." He then squinted his eyes. "Which is even more of a reason why we aren't just handling this business exclusively there, rather than having to deal with your sentimentality."

Akira darted his eyes under the bed. He reached under it to find a small box of cylindrical tin containers labeled "SMOKE" and sealed with wax, each with a fuse embedded in a metal funnel. "Sorry, my sentimentality was in the subtext of our little 'contract.'" He then pulled out one container to look at it closer. "Think on the bright side: would you prefer Prez to look into my life further by being an evasive jerk all the time? Better to use her if she's willing to help."

Morgana's ears drooped. "I suppose, when you put it that way…we COULD exploit her for all she has, and leave it at that."

Akira's spirits dimmed slightly. "Well…I mean…I didn't mean it like that….but whatever. I'll chide you later." Akira continued. "And as for Kamoshida…I just have to hope busting him will keep some heat off me." He then turned directly to Morgana. "Whether I'm expelled or not, either one will not change our arrangement. I promise you."

"Hmm….I'm impressed. You know, you seem like a reliable guy. It's nice knowing you're not going to run with your tail between your legs because of some silly expulsion." Morgana replied.

Akira darted his eyes away. "I've just…take obligations seriously I guess." He sighed off in the distance. "To confide in someone….my life has told me it does me better than any stupid law or societal expectation." He cleared his throat. "Sorry, I'm starting to ramble. Back to topic. I'm curious to see if your paraffin wax method here will work like you say. Normally, I'd just strike a match on top and let the sugar burn in it."

Morgana grinned. "Trust me; they're more reliable than your old design."

Akira grimaced. "…It worked well enough though…."

30 minutes of prepping for school later, Sojiro hobbled in, ready for business. "Oi! I'm here! Hope you didn't do anything too funny after I left."

Akira walked down the attic, already in uniform, ready to head out.

"You're up early," Sojiro commented while smiling. "I'll assume things went well last night."

Akira shrugged. "I got her number."

"Well, you AREN'T hopeless," Sojiro said while smiling. "I'll make some curry. Hey…did you hear something loud go off in the street last night? Woke me up something fierce."

Akira's mouth shriveled.  _Well, at least these dazzling bombs are…"bomb enough" if he can hear it from where he lives._ "Nope. ". He then smiled awkwardly. "In fact….I didn't even hear it. I was just really tired after such a long day."

Sojiro smirked. "Long, eh?"

Akira rubbed his forehead. "Get your mind out of the gutter."

"Sure, but first." Sojiro then laid out a plate of curry. "Eat up. Oh, and also…you can keep that key."

Akira tilted his head. "Seriously? You were threatening to kick me out several days ago."

Sojiro shrugged as he filtered some coffee into a cup-and-saucer placed to the right of Akira's plate. "I WILL if you lose that key. Now, eat and shut up. Time's a wastin'."

Akira stretched out his arms. "I suppose I could use some coffee."  _It might help me survive at least a quarter of the school day._

* * *

It was now the middle of the day, and Akira, sitting at his desk, guessed right: the coffee helped him survive only a quarter of the day.

"At this rate, I should just put you on a sleep schedule," Morgana commented, stuffing himself in the cubby right under Akira's desk.

"Shut up; I just need more coffee and I'll be good." He then opened a Thermos full of Sojiro's coffee and took a big gulp. "Give me like…ten…twenty minutes? I'll be good for another three hours." He then laid his head and stared at an angle into his notebook.

"Students, in light of the sudden theft of chemicals and lab equipment yesterday, we will not be doing the lab today," explained Mr. Kazuma, Akira's chemistry teacher and a nasal-sounding figure that was approaching the wrong side of forty.

The class responded with hushed sighs of relief. Akira, his head feeling as if it were filled with lead, kept his eyes on the scrabbles in his notebook:

"Enough turns on this transformer?!"

"NEED MORE FUCKING CATALYST! Yesterday took too long; no wonder I fell asleep on the desk! Flash reaction too slow? Iron perhaps? Ironsand might work. Extract iron and other things. More discreet. Maybe."

Akira banged the side of his head into the notebook and groaned. He then realized the seat in front of him was empty.  _Ann…she's still that worried, isn't she? I….perhaps Ryuji and I should see what's up with her. And Shiho…of course we'll see her."_

"In the meantime, I will have you go over the lab notes until we order more materials." He then opened his copy of the school chemistry textbook, the furling of the pages eliciting groans under people's breaths. His eyes drifted over to Akira's constant banging. "Now, now Kurusu-kun, I can assure you that banging your head into the pages is not a substitute for studying the lab beforehand."

The classroom erupted into a chuckle. Everyone except Mishima, who was called to the office, a moment ago.

"Now, Kurusu, might you tell me what the lab is today, based on the prelab questions?" He pressed his bottlecap glasses up his nose, presenting a smug half-smile. "That is, if you've read it."

Akira raised his head, boring his naked, bloodshot eyes straight through the staring crowd and to his smarmy teacher. "It's an oxidation-reduction reaction. You're mixing potassium chlorate with red phosphorous. Highly explosive, especially when the red phosphorus becomes white phosphorus. Same idea behind fireworks."

The teacher's mouth, like the other students', was half-open.

Akira continued with a wicked smile on his face. "Shall I continue? I can even write the reaction on the board. If you don't mind, that is. Or maybe…you can let me read, in peace."

"I…suppose so," Mr. Kazuma replied, the color retreating from his face.

Akira heard the following whispers:

_"Is he serious about school?"_

_"He seems to know a lot about this…isn't a smart criminal dangerous?"_

Mishima returned, his wounds from yesterday sealed and more purplish. "Kurusu-san…Kobayakawa would like to see you."

Akira sighed. "Alright then. Better than imagining doing an experiment." He then stared at Mishima, who slinked into his seat.  _I'm surprised. Your wounds closed up so quickly._

_I'm still not done with you though…_

Walking into the hallway, he pulled out his phone.

 **AKIRA:**  Well, wish me luck.

 **AKIRA:** I think the Principal's going to call me in.

 **RYUJI:** Dude, what for?!

_I have a good guess._

**AKIRA:** No clue.

 **RYUJI:** What bullshit!

 **AKIRA:** I don't think though it'll be that serious.

 **AKIRA:** The plan's still a go.

 **AKIRA:**  We might have to go there multiple times, if need be.

 **RYUJI:** If you say so, but from personal experience…

 **RYUJI:**  Don't be surprised though if they try to throw you out just because they feel like it.

Akira pursed his lips.  _The irony is not lost on me._

Taking himself away from his screen, he was now at the door of the Principal's Office. He then gave it a light tap.

"Come in," an oily voice said.

Akira then sat down, his shoulders still heavy from early morning. "What is it?"

Kobayakawa laid his meaty hands, which were in front of his face, down on his large, imposing table. "I'll get straight to the point. This…Shiho business. That stunt you pulled the other day that gave you that bandage on your head. This is worthy of discipline and-"

"-And you're subject to expulsion, come pending the faculty meeting," Akira replied.  _God, now I have a headache._ Akira pressed a finger into his temple.  _I really need to build back my sleep resistance…_

The blood vessels on Kobayakawa's head popped up. "That is correct."

"Excellent, then. See you…" Akira dawned a jester's grin as he stood. "When was the disciplinary meeting again?

"The Tuesday after." He then skinned his teeth. "The 26th."

"Wonderful. I'll get back to class then."

Kobayakawa skinned his teeth. "You do your family a great service."

Akira stopped in between the desk and door. He lingered for a bit, only to lean to the side with his smile gone. "You have a nice day."  _I hope you get red eye next time you sniff Kamoshida's ass flower, you flappy-chinned fuck._  As much as he wanted to do otherwise, he gently closed the principal's door behind him.

Walking back, Akira tooted the fury building in through his nose. "I'm going to feel so much better tipping the scales against him, no matter how heavy his side is." He paused by the stairs. "I should lay down a bit. Resting a bit is what my body could use right now." He sat his beleaguered body on the wooden steps, his shoulders against the wall and himself trying his best not to doze off on the spot.

Akira yawned, his mouth stretching as far as it could and his puffy eyes tearing up slightly. "I suppose I should scan Makoto's 'files.'" A few minutes of scrolling passed.  _It's like what she said: medical records upon medical records: birthdates, addresses…and the name "Kobayakawa" on there. So far, so good. Next…any links amongst the images._  His were drawn to the words "Suppressing; Kobayakawa's orders."  _I guess that's where Prez is getting her conclusions from. What else is there, though?_ He continued further, going through each box carefully.  _There has to be some correlation here…Immunizations?_  A few seconds.  _Nope…I'm getting desperate; I only have so much time left until my teacher sends someone to come get me. Emergency contacts? Maybe they're willing to keep these guys close in some way? I dunno._ A quick scan.  _Nope. God, this shit is giving me a worse headache, goddamnit! Over the counter prescriptions? I mean, I've the scraped the bottom of the barrel at this rate if….wait a second._

In the box for "Over the Counter Prescriptions," all had "Other" checked. And under them for additional information was "TMC."  _TMC,_ he pondered.  _What the hell does that mean? I haven't heard of an over the counter drug called TMC…_

He gritted his teeth.  _Goddamnit, if my mind wasn't so hazy._ He looked at his phone another time.  _Shit! I need to go back._ Walking back in, he was given a hushed, delinquent's welcome:

_"I bet Kobayakawa told him he's getting me expelled."_

_"Good riddance."_

"Hush now," Mr. Kazuma said. "Back to the lab at hand."

Akira laid his face on his notebook once more.  _I'll just…close my eyes for a bit._

He shut his eyes.

He then found himself surrounded in darkness. A voice cried to him.

"My son, you're behaving badly again."

Fear struck his heart.

"Mother's Day is coming on the 19th. Such a shame, that you'll never enjoy it." Her mom then appeared from behind, creeping into his ear. "You know why; you don't deserve that privilege, and you know why." She then teleported in front of him, wearing a mischievous grin. "Now run along: it's unbecoming to sleep in class."

He then snapped his eyes open. The sunlight had a warmer hue. "Chemistry" passed over him, but he didn't care; he only wanted a little bit of sleep before more important matters came up.

* * *

4/18, Afternoon

Back in the Castle, a trio of Shadow Knights clamored into a side room as part of a patrol. The side room was a library on the top floor of the castle, with shelves the height of five grown men, brimming with books.

Their clangs echoed off the checkered marble and domed roof.  **"I….feel impending doom,"** one cried out as it stood next to a perpetually rotating globe, whose continents were labeled "Kamoshida's domain."

 **"What do you mean, doom?"** the one closest to the door asked.

**"I…fear that His Holiness's domain shall be lost to the Darkness forever."**

**"NONSENSE!"**  the third one cried.  **"HOW DARE YOU SUGGEST SUCH THINGS!"**

The shaken Shadow Knight slacked his shoulders and leaned forwards.  **"I'm sorry….I'm so ashamed."**

 **"Come now,"** the third Knight cried. **"Kamoshida will bring us salvation, even if it falls from the sky! There is no way the Vermin that come from the Darkness-"**

A rustle came from the chandelier above. The Shadow Knight could hear faint whispers:

"-drop down and take them while they're confused from my little gift."

The Knight felt like butting in.  **"Who's there?"**

A white packet fell from the chandelier, hitting the ground in front of the Third and exploding into a spiky-looking cloud of piercing hot embers. The embers melted through the Shadow's armor, turning the Shadow into a walking, ashy bonfire that waddled on the ground and whose grunts quickly became distorted screams.

The other two fared no better. The packet produced a crackling pop that disoriented them, making them stumble in place with cinders stuck in their breastplates. That, however, didn't deter them from melting into red spirals and turning into their true Shadow forms, a Pixie and Jack o'Lantern.

The trio of heroes then made their appearance from up top.

"…I think you overdid it on the amount of powder," Morgana commented.

"I guess so, Mona," Akira replied. "Though, we've been here three times already this week. I wanted to try these babies out instead of sneaking all the time."

Ryuji smelled the air and stared at the ashy pile that once was the lit Shadow Knight. "Burning Shadows have a bacon smell. Who would have guessed?"

Morgana cringed. "…Dude, what's wrong with you?"

"But man, that was such a cool explosion. I would have never guessed you had that up your sleeve, Aki-"

"Hold up! No real names!" Morgana cried. "Sorry, but I should have mentioned this earlier, you shouldn't be saying your real names in this world. There's no telling what will happen if you reveal them when we're inside people's cognitions!"

"Why would names even matter?" Ryuji said,

Akira gave Morgana a stink eye. "Are you just making this stuff up as you go? It almost sounds like this "stealing heart's business' is something you haven't tried yourself."

"Why would he? He's probably broken into Palaces and stolen some Treasures quite a bit," Ryuji replied.

Morgana crossed its arms and turned his head. "Why would I say that?"

The two were dumbfounded.

"WHAT?!" Ryuji yelled.

Akira facepalmed. "Are you fucking kidding me? Then how are you even guiding us now?!"

Morgana shrugged. "I just..AM. I just know from the back of my head this stuff." A smile then popped up on his face. "You're going to fill in the gaps."

"Wonderful," Akira replied dryly. "I'll pick the code names, then, Useless."

"I would personally smack you myself, but first,"-Morgana then turned to the two dazed and confused Shadows across the room-"we'll shake these guys down, since we have them on the ropes and they don't like to die. Just follow my lead."

Morgana pulled out his slingshot and stretched a ball back into its strap. "Tell me how useful you guys are, and you might live." He whispered from the side of his mouth. "Get out your guns, you idiots."

The boys then pulled out their guns and aimed it towards the two Shadows.

The Jack o'Lantern answered first.  **"H-h-h-hee h-h-h-oo..." I…just…"** Suddenly, a loud boom came from behind Morgana, and the Pumpkin's head exploded in a spray of black chunks.

"Are you retarded?!" Morgana yelled as he jumped in place. "That's not how you interrogate!"

Akira turned to his right and saw Ryuji's smoking barrel. "…Sorry, my trigger slipped," he replied.

He scrunched his eyes in disapproval and then focused back on the remaining Shadow. "Look, let me try." He walked over to the Pixie. "Hi. My name is…." He put a finger to his chin for a moment. "…Joker. My apologies for my friend Skull over there and his lack of trigger discipline."

"…Skull?" Ryuji whispered under his breath. "….Ehh, works with me."

**"At least someone on your team has manners," Pixie replied. "…You think you can…let me go, handsome?"**

_…Is this Shadow trying to flirt? This is weird….Umm…I'll roll with it._ "Hmm….you can, BUT you have to level with me," Akira said in return. He looked up at the roof. "You know, this place seems pretty big. Maybe you can tell me where to go." He leaned in closer. "C'mon, give me something useful. You can't tell me you like this asshole Kamoshida THAT much."

Pixie's wings fluttered. "Oh my….you're right. I don't think I like him AT ALL." It began to hover, starry-eyed. "I remember now….I am an existence that drifts in the sea of human souls…"

"What the…" Akira uttered out.

"You may call me Pixie. I'll do you a service. Time to set up shop!" In a flash, she devolved into a blue light that shot into Akira's mash like an arrow, making Akira step back.

Morgana and Ryuji sprinted towards him. "Dude, are you alright?!" Ryuji said. "That thing got sucked into your mask! What's that about, Mona?!"

"I-I-I don't know! I wasn't expecting that when we held her up! I thought she was going to…tell us where to go, I dunno!"

Akira patted around his face. "I feel….fine? We should probably keep moving." Taking a step towards the door, however, a voice in his mind called out to him.

 _Your Heart is quite comfy,_ a female voice cried.

 _Wait….Pixie?_  Akira wondered.  _Is that what you mean by 'setting up shop?'_

Pixie laughed _. Perhaps you should say my name and see what that means._

Akira shrugged.

"PIXIE!" he cried out loud.

From the mask came Pixie, who enveloped him in an invigorating, blue light. She then returned to his mask.

_You know, my friend told me about how you stabbed her. Naughty boy, not knowing we can heal anyone we want, including ourselves._

"Wait a second…did you just summon ANOTHER Persona? The one you just absorbed?" Morgana cried, holding his head.

Akira smiled. "Sounds about right."  _I guess that was what the Nose was talking about after all._

The Pixie wasn't done talking.  _Don't go yet. This room is a library in the middle of a castle. You should expect something hidden here._

"Hmm…this is a library, after all," Akira said out loud. He looked closely at the books, which were in alphabetical order. Just like Pixie said, the library offered something interesting. All the books were labeled with names. Some of them looked familiar. "…I wonder…"

He scanned for the books starting with "R." "Just as I thought; 'Ryuji, the Vulgar Ape."

"What the hell, dude?!" Ryuji said, fuming.

"No, wait, come here. All of these books…they look like student's names. I bet this is his opinion of everyone here."

Morgana took a closer look. "That's probably the case. Curious about yours, Joker? I can jump up there."

"By all means."

Morgana jumped to the top row of the bookshelf. "There we go. 'Akira Kurusu: Destroyer of Dreams, Ravager of The Holy Harem, and Silver-Tongued Snake."

"Three titles? I'm impressed," Akira noted. "Though…'Ravager of the Holy Harem?'"

Ryuji walked over to the bookcase opposite the boys'. "Seriously, the girls are here, too!" Ryuji reached here and picked a few books off the shelf. "'Ann Takamaki, the King's future Queen and future Recipient of Love.' Bastard!" He slammed that book onto the ground and looked at the other one. "'Shiho Suzui….Personal Release.' What the hell does that mean!?"

Akira rushed over to see for himself. "Skull….just hold on a minute." An uncomfortable thought came to mind. "Hold on a second, though. I need to see something." He scrolled to where Makoto would be. His thought was confirmed: he had an entry for Makoto. "Makoto Nijima: Tsundere? Nosy Bitch? New Candidate for Release?"

A chill ran down Akira's spine.

"Pardon me, but as the King's ultimate Slave and tender to His Holy Library, I would ask you to treat these tomes with respect!"

 _That wimpy voice…_ He turned around to find "Mishima" in a jester's outfit and a ball gag around his throat.  _Another cognition…this should be interesting._  He jetted over and put his new kukri at his throat. "Mind if you tell me what's in here, by chance?"

"It would behoove me to reveal such secrets. If they did exist!"

"Don't lie to the man!" Morgana said. "It's a library in a castle! Why wouldn't you be hiding something here?!"

Mishima started to drool and moan. "Ohh my….such a forceful request! I…you're going to make me gush!"

 _Urrghh…I think we've accidentally found his g-spot. Well...it's worth a try…and a few showers after._  "TALK, YOU FUCKING WORM! SPILL YOUR SECRETS!"

"EYAAHH!" Mishima cried from the back of his throat as his yellow eyes began to strobe. "O-ok, then! Pick that book up from the shelf and read it!"

Akira walked over to the shelf the cognition pointed to and noticed the shelf was dedicated to King Kamoshida himself, littering with classics such as "King Kamoshida's descent from the Olympic Gods to Serve Man," "Kamoshida's cast away from Heaven due to the Treachery of the Snakes," and "Kamoshida's Exploits in the Mortal Realm."

"The Blue Book, titled 'The Slave'. And read it out loud, please." Mishima cried further.

Akira picked up the book as Mishima pleaded and opened. The shelf on the opposite side began to open, revealing a dimly lit room with candles arranged in a semicircle. "I can't see well in there. Skull?"

"Got it," Ryuji said, giving a thumbs-up.

Akira proceeded to read:

_As Lord Kamoshida descended from the heavens, he was fortuitous to find a mortal whose loyalty was unparalleled. A person so meek and small, even among his mortals, that his qualities would be magnified compared to His Holiness, and would be of great service in the Lord's duties in his new, Mortal Realm._

_This unassuming, unquestioning follower of the Lord was called Mishima, and he served dutifully, much as a sheep serves its shepherd, or mule to its cargo, in the hope that he too could ascend._

"You're right, it's short," Akira replied curtly.

"ISN'T IS WONDERFUL!" the cognition replied, beaming and clasping his hands together in front of Joker. "Kamoshida rendered me perfectly, even when he didn't have to! He is truly descended from Paradise!"

Joker pushed a hand as a spacer between him and Cognition Mishima. "What does he have you do?" Akira's mind then went back to the rooftop. "Anything you'd…regret?"

"Mishima's" head jerked to the side for a brief second. "I don't know what you mean!" he said, his eye constantly twitching. "I do everything he asks me to without regret! A Mule for His Holy equipment? A Personal Release? A Recipient of his Love? An Internet Leaker of Transfer Students' Records? A Recipient of his Love? WHATEVER IS NEEDED!"

"MISHIMA!" Ryuji cried from the back room. Ryuji stormed out, snorting like a bull. "YOU SON OF A BITCH!" Ryuji walked up to him and shotgunned Mishima's chest point-blank. Not satisfied, he took the end of the butt of his gun and proceeded to wail at his face.

Akira's jaw was down halfway as he held Ryuji from jamming his gun further. "RYUJI? WHAT IS GOING ON?!"

Ryuji was shaking. "I….I played with that girl since middle school, for..f-f-fuck's sake. And this…piece of SHIT..."

Akira walked into the dimly lit backroom. He then saw why Ryuji was mad. On the room's wall were pictures of Shiho. Some by herself, others like the ones Akira saw on the phone, with the flash and the shadow of someone in their teens.

And some showing her the middle of Kamoshida's 'release.'

Or rather…Kamoshida and  _Mishima's_ release.

He rushed over back to the main room and found Ryuji shoving the barrel of his gun into the gaping, black, viscous cavity in the cognition's chest.

He leaned over Mishima, not sure whether to slit his throat or blow his brains out on the spot.

"Why?" Akira said, the rage in his lungs seeping out and his gun on Mishima's pearly whites. "Why'd you leak the transfer student's record." He choked. "Why did you do…Shiho…"

His voice was weak."….I'm sorry. He told me to do it. All of it. I…had no choice. I just…wanted His Glory to take back. The others around me…they would prefer I bask in his Glory!"

Akira cocked his lever, Vengeance about to take over.

The fire in him subsided, however.  _Because you were afraid, though, you didn't do anything to stop it. Go,d you're pitiful._

_But…I've seen more pitiful people._

He remembered the woman he tried to save a year ago from assault. How  _she_ didn't bother to testify. Because her assaulter told her not to.

For a moment…everything clicked for Akira. An epiphany, one of vicious cycles, of sinners and sinned, and how they one can drift into either camp at any time.

He then remembered, from his experiences with bloody sisters, that he didn't like the appearance of lingering agony.

Mishima's head twitched again, his zeal gone. "Save me."

Akira fired a shot into Mishima's head, and his mangled body drifted into a black dust.

"Joker….why did you shoot him?" Morgana said, his typical haughtiness now absent. "It's a cognition. It's pointless to shoot him. Skull should have known that too."

"I guess…at least for me, I'm just being sentimental again."


	14. No God, No Master Part II

"I don't get why we're watching this again for the umpteenth time," Sae said, sitting on the couch while wearing lounge clothes and wrapping a towel over her damp head.

"Because sisters should do stuff together," Makoto replied smiling. "Particularly if the older one decides to give a Sunday to herself for once."

"…I guess so," Sae said, smiling weakly.  _The perp from the most recent mental shutdown, like the others, wasn't worth the time anyway,_  she thought.

The two watched a caper classic from the noir days: "The Red Kipper," a story about a jaded, middle-aged alcoholic detective hired by a young seductress to find her father, the mystery transforming into a journey of rediscovery. After a host of twist and turns, the sisters were on the iconic romance scene between the two titular characters, a rendezvous at the docks in the middle of a foggy night.

"Oh Roger….why did it have to come to this?" the female lead cried, fighting not to bawl in front of the male lead.

"I don't know," he replied. "I think it was because of the bottle of rye in my pocket and the free cigarette."

Sae leaned on her hand as she stared at the screen. "God, this scene again. A drunk with a trench coat with a rough, craggy voice and maybe cirrhosis. Reminds me of some of the seniors at work, and I'd rather not imagine them being romantic to their wives IF this is what they were raised on." She shuddered as he wished for her work flask. "Makoto, you can't seriously think this is roman-"

She turned to find Makoto leaning forward with her mouth open and a small pool of blood under the skin of her cheeks.

Sae's eyes narrowed. "-tic." She sighed. "Dad got you hooked. Hard."

"SHH!" Makoto yelled.

Sae's eyes lit up. "Jeez…Relax." She paused for a quick second. "So…how's school? Fine, I hope."

The mention of school jostled her from her excited trance. "Umm…fine."

That got Sae's attention. "You don't seem convinced by that answer."

Makoto became stone-faced.  _…Should I…._ "It's been a busy week. We've had…some troublesome elements."

Sae sighed. "Is it something you can't handle? You're going to be an adult next year. Amongst other adults. And they're only two types: The just and the unjust."

Makoto dimmed. "I know that. I'm not a child, Sis. Stop lecturing me. I'm just trying to watch a movie."

Sae grinned halfway. "Good. Remember to always trust yourself and solve your own battles. Relying on others is just burdening people with problems you can't solve yourself."

"…I understand."

"You know…Mother's Day is coming up. You have any suggestions for flowers?"

Makoto put a finger to her chin. "….I suppose pink carnations like before."

Sae sighed. "…Could we not do that?"

"Why so? They symbolize gratitude. She was our mother after all."

Sae grunted. "I guess that's fine, then." She then paused, only to murmur to himself. "If only you were younger when she'd died, you'd probably think she'd be worth more than just pink carnations. Sunflowers at least."

Makoto's phone buzzed. She looked at her phone. It was Akira.

 **AKIRA:** You have time tomorrow?

 **AKIRA:** Preferably after school?

"Funny," Sae commented. "You don't usually text."

"It's a study partner."

Sae frowned. "Hope that study partner isn't going to get you pregnant."

Makoto balled up on the couch away from her Sis. "It is not like that! I'm not pursuing romance at all! I just had a few questions about some class material, that's all!"

Sae kept mean mugging her. "You wouldn't need to if you studied normally. Recommendations don't substitute for gaps in understanding come entrance exam time."

Makoto stammered. "I'll wash off some fruit." Makoto walked over to the kitchen and turned on the sink to keep up appearances.

 **MAKOTO:** Is it bad?

A long, agonizing minute passed.

 **AKIRA:** Yes.

 **AKIRA:** But there's something more to it.

 **AKIRA:** Something…I don't feel like explaining over text.

She frowned, toiling over his vagueness.

 **MAKOTO:**  Couldn't you just call me if it's that important?

 **AKIRA:**  This late? Aren't I going to wake up your parents or siblings?

She sighed.

 **MAKOTO:** I only have my big sister to contend with these days.

A quick, but awkward pause.

 **MAKOTO:** It's ok.

 **MAKOTO:** I don't think I'll be available after school since I'll be with my sister at the cemetery.

 **MAKOTO:**  Maybe the Council Room? Before school starts?

 **AKIRA:**  That'll have to do then.

 **AKIRA:** Sorry about bringing up some uncomfortable topics by accident.

 **AKIRA:**  See you later.

Makoto sighed.

"Stop wasting water and come back here already! And bring something normal, like some rice chips or something!" Sae said from the couch.

Makoto pouted. "Fine. It's not healthy tho-"

"Who cares?" Sae said.

Makoto walked over with some soy-flavored rice chips. "Your weight will suffer because of it."

They continued watching. The crunches from Sae's poor eating habits though couldn't drown out the voice in her head.

_The number….how do I find the REAL number behind that message? The man behind the picture? The last piece to the band of abuse here?_

_I mean, Sae, for all the bile and negative attributes she's gained, has done fine by herself. Dad did ok for himself when he donned the uniform and refused a partner…and when he lost Mom. And both didn't keep him from getting the bad guys._

_They kept people believing in good. In justice. What would that say…about me if I let a villain get away?_

She turned to Sae, her spirits slightly lowering further.  _What would happen to her if I forced myself to rely on her?_

_Or….Kurusu? I should be his Senpai. I should be setting an example for him._

_…I should be helping him. And yet…._

The last point stung especially. She sighed and opened her phone.

_This…is a long shot. But...I guess…I'll just have to try._

_After all, I can't just ask Dad about this._

_Putting his remains in an urn and burying them in the ground quashed such childish fantasies._

* * *

_Maybe…she'll understand._

_She looks like she'll understand me. She seems smart enough anyway._

Akira, after sending his last message, set his phone down on the metal table next to an empty burger wrapper with the label "Big Bang Burger". He stared at Ryuji, hoping that his boorish eating would make him direct his disgust at something silly.

Ryuji opened his mouth, full of eviscerated patties and fries, to speak. " _I swer, if I find that coksuker…"_

Akira scowled, looking away. "Swallow, for god's sake."

Ryuji grabbed his soda, slamming it down after a long sip.

Akira cleared his throat. "Look…I know you don't want to hear it. But Mishima…I'd suggest we keep it under the rug."

Ryuji snorted. "You SAW what happened back there." He then began to force the words through the crevices of his front teeth. "He and Kamoshida did a tag team on her." He slumped back into his chair. "What bullshit…you really are asking a lot."

Ryuji recollected his thoughts. "You know, I never pegged him going that far. Back there…I knew he wasn't real. But…it just…made me feel better for a moment."

Akira sighed. "Neither did I. But, the more I think about it, that's what people like him do: make Mishimas." He imagined himself a few months ago, on the ground, roughed up, held down by someone more powerful than him. In uniform, no less, as another person powerful than even his captor ordered him away.

 _I suppose when they put me in juvie, they wanted a Mishima._  His eyes dimmed.  _They almost did. Not a rapist Mishima, of course._

_A coward Mishima. One that hides and makes excuses to himself…and to Student Council Presidents, pretending to be noble._

_One that puts faith in ideas and expectations over personal dignity._

_One that shuts off common sense when the rule of law becomes an excuse to shit on your fellow man at the wave of a drunken hand or the throbbing of the groin._

_It's like what she said: we created the rule of law to make something better than us. That, I agree._

_Now, though, we forgot this. And the only thing the law is good for is scarring fragile mothers, scared over losing their children to the penal system, and guilt-tripping said children for the rest of their life._

_What is there left...but the justice found in a lover? A friend? Yourself?_

"You're getting quiet again. What's up?"

Akira opened up again. "I'm curious: did he ever like to pit people against each other?"

Ryuji played with his used straw. "I mean, yeah…the other people on track would take it personally if they thought someone was laggin' behind. I heard they even beat those type of people up. Real effed up shit. Why you ask?"

"…No reason. Just curious."

"But man…people should be better than that! They shouldn't have to resort to that asshole's level! 'Eff that. Mishima deserves everything getting to him, but….fu-effit! I dunno."

"I see you're censoring yourself again."

"Uhh…yeah, wait I said the F-word back there in the Castle, didn't I?"

Akira nodded.

"Dammit…." Ryuji's eyes trailed upwards. "You know, that was the one word I promised my mom to never say. I think I was six when I cussed her out. I was so mad; she didn't get me the toy I wanted for Christmas that year. I literally told her to f-off, which I got from some action movie no less. She got on her knees to beg for forgiveness. I felt so shitty for the rest of the day I basically told her to her face that I'd never say that to her again." He gave a weak smile. "Never made me forget it too. She still held a grudge afterward, saying 'Don't make promises as a boy that you won't live up to as an adult!'" He then laughed feebly. "I also promised her I'd be the best track player as a boy too. Now….shit."

"C'mon man," Akira replied, his cheer fading away as fast as it came. "…Don't tell me you're feeling like this because of Mother's Day?"

Ryuji stayed silent.

Akira's eyes drooped.  _This rumination…it's exhausting when it becomes an echo chamber._  "Let's just…focus on getting the Treasure, ok? I don't think we're going to solve anything by flinging Mishima and Kamoshida off a roof."

For once, since they arrived at the burger joint, Ryuji grinned. "That's effed up."

Akira grinned in kind.

"Hey," Ryuji said. "Look, I know you said you don't really have a Mom talk to, so ima guess you have some free time." He then clasped his hands and bowed his head. "Please hang out with me on Mother's Day. I know it sounds lame, but she makes all of this food for me, and I can't really eat it, and I feel bad, and-"

"Fine," Akira responded.

"Wait, seriously?"

"Serious. I'm tired of curry anyway."

"DUDE, YOU'RE THE BEST!" Ryuji was about to reach over and hug Akira but realized the emplaced table between them blocked their bromance.

The jostle woke up a sleeping Morgana curled inside Akira's bag. "Ryuji, keep it down," Morgana replied.

"Next time, Ryuji, next time," Akira quipped. He remembered to apply the gel to his head, as Takemi directed. "Excuse me; my physician would probably whip me if I forgot to do this at the right time. Though….going to the Castle before I got that Shadow made me use this more often. I don't have much left."

"You said your doctor is at TMC right? Takemi Medical Clinic? Is she hot? If so, I might get my physical from her."

"Ryuji…if I tell you she was a goth in a lab coat with nice legs, will you not bug me about it into the night?"

A thought popped up.  _TMC….that rings a bell_.

"Hey, I would NEVER do that. Maybe."

"Hopeless. Just hopeless." He groaned. "Seriously, you have someone like Ann that seems to talk to you. Why couldn't you be satisfied with that?"

"Oh c'mon not this again…Look…I….I dunno. Girls…like her are complicated. Being friends since middle school…it just makes things complicated. Engaging in weird rituals and lovey-dovey shit…it's too hard."

"Lazy."

_TMC….TMC…_

"Oh, like you're one to talk." Ryuji raised a finger. "You probably haven't even kissed a girl."

"Never claimed otherwise. Which is why you are SO disappointing."  _No wonder Ann called him an idiot._

"Ok, fine, Preacher Man. Spill. What type of girl do YOU prefer?"

Akira smiled. "Girls that I like."

Ryuji was taken aback. "Dude, I ain't going to lie, that was buttery smooth there. I'm getting kind of scared how non-offensive of an answer you gave."

Lightning struck inside Akira's head.  _I don't know if it's because I'm tired…but I don't like where this is going._

Akira shrugged. "I have my moments. You know when she's coming back?"

"She'll be back tomorrow." He looked at his feet. "She told me Shiho's in a coma. Not sure when she's going to get out of it. Might not ever."

Akira stared off to the side. "We should visit her, you know? The least we can do."

"I know…after we're done with this Kamoshida stuff."

Akira leaned on his right hand.  _We only have so much time…I wished we could have added Kobayakawa on the list._

_Maybe another time._

* * *

"Destroy that travesty of medicine already!" an old, black-suited man said, booming into the receptacle while hunched over to the side.

"No idea what you're talking about," Takemi replied behind her Plexiglas counter. "I've been a good girl."

"Don't mock me, you whore. Developing secret drugs under the eyes of the Board? That's low, even for you. A super neurostimulant? What the hell are you THINKING!?"

"Nothing," Tae said, languid as ever. "I'm just a quack."

The old man's jaw started to lock and spasm. "Mark my words, bitch. You think you're dragging me with you? I'll make sure you'll sink on your own. Better yet, do me a favor and overdose on morphine. You'd do the medical community a service."

"Persistent as always, Oyamada. Enjoy your night."

The man walked away, huffing with each step.

Akira turned the corner, having been lending an ear in the shadows. "Evening. We need to talk."

She stared at him, drawing blanks momentarily. "Oh right, you. Kurusu?" She then frowned. "Next time, make it less obvious you're eavesdropping."

He showed the four empty vials in his hand. "Sorry, I'm the master of coincidences."

"Just get in the exam room," she snapped. "Make it quick."

Akira walked into the exam room and sat on the examination. Right after, Takemi stormed quickly from her reception space and blocked the door behind him. "You know, I didn't design that medicine so that you would come back."

"Maybe it isn't strong enough."

"Don't insult me." She ripped off his head bandage to reveal skin smoother than a newborn's. "It's practically healed. I know I told you to finish it tonight, but upon seeing this, you probably needed it until the day prior." She then grabbed the vial in his hand. "It's empty already." She glared intensely at him. "You don't seem injured. Open your mouth."

Akira, throwing caution to the wind, opened his mouth.

Tae pushed a rod on his tongue. "You're a weird kid. There's blood in the back of your throat, but no sores. It's dark, so whatever caused the hemorrhaging stopped." She sighed, looking back at his hands. "You have no remaining vials, by the looks of it."

"None."

"You also don't look like the type to get into fights. Just why….actually, nevermind." She sat down, leaning over with her legs bent inward. "Either way, you're not getting more vials."

"I didn't come asking for more vials."  _Not necessarily…_

She raised an eyebrow. "Why else would you come with an empty vial?"

"Just an excuse to try and get you alone with me?"

"Well then…" She then pulled out an empty syringe. "A personal examination then? I'll make it hurt good."

Akira crossed his arms. "Nice try, but no." He pulled out his phone. "Does Shiho Suzui rings a bell?"

"Doesn't ring a bell."

He scrolled. "Nakamura Isshio? I can keep going. You're not shooing me off like last time."

Her scowl formed once more. She walked over to the door, poking her chin with a metal clipboard. "You're truly annoying, you know that?" She turned the examination door's tumblers. "Did that man I was talking to put you up to this?"

"Old man with a back problem?"

"Scoliosis in fact."

"No. I just want answers. This is just me."

"What makes you think that I have the answers you seek?

He felt like giving a snappy comeback, but Akira looked down. "I don't. What…is your business with Shujin?"

"Hmm? I don't know what-"

"'Suppressing: Kobayakawa's orders'?"

Tae grunted.

He pointed his eyes towards her. "Don't make me take this to someone who'd care a bit more about these names. Like….the media, for instance. Just…care a bit to sate my curiosity."

A small wave of confusion swept Sae's face. It passed quickly though. "You're an odd teenager. Fine."

"First: Why did Shujin send you over students?"

"They needed people back in shape. I had a creative spell. Things worked out."

"'Worked out'?" he said with a pinch of outrage.

"I had a nurse from there, an old childhood friend. She thought I could use a distraction. Or, so she said. She kept on sending people with a wide spectrum of physical ailments. It's my job to treat them all. Plus, it was a perfect time to develop the gel that you have in your pocket."

"Well, you ARE indeed a noble doctor, then," Akira gloweringly responded.

Tae smiled. "Sure, sure. Do you realize what that medicine does? That old man you listened on, he was partially incorrect. It's a neurostimulant, but that's just a side effect; he didn't have the vision for such things anyway. It's intended to help tissue growth; depending on location, it links neurological and skeletomuscular junctions together by increasing neuronal firing in tissue."

Akira rubbed his aching head. "So basically…it helps grow tissue and trains it to be more efficient when instructed to act?"

"Correct. And it's quite potent too."

 _No wonder I felt looser after taking it._  Akira upgraded from rubbing to tapping. "Just…why the students? You NEVER thought of anything suspicious about getting a constant stream of students? You're a doctor. You saw the injuries. What did the school even tell you?"

"Athletic injuries. Recently, I didn't care enough to question it, until you came first. Your nurse affectionately called these athletes from Shujin the 'marked ones,' last time I talked to her, to mark those who need 'special attention.' Shujin had a competitive athletic program, so I thought the school was just making sure they receive special treatment. Why they'd pick a small clinic like this, I didn't know. Then, you, a 'marked one' came upon referral from an EMT as a semi-serious case. You, though, did not have an athletic build that would fit my hypothesis. So I assumed that it's more so a 'saving face' measure in some cases. But then again, I didn't care. The wide range of injuries was good for data and statistical representation."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Akira said, raising himself and walking towards her. "Were these kids 'statistics' to you?"

Tae became stone-faced. "They were necessary to produce something good. Something good that you use. You can attest to its efficacy."

Akira's glare became more severe. "Nazi doctors said something similar about necessity."

"And Unit 754, etc. etc. I don't leave my 'statistics' worse for wear. For all intent and purposes, I fulfilled the Oath."

"Seems like fulfilling the Hippocratic Oath is meant here in the loosest sense. The only thing I've seen on my end is an engine for a cycle of continued suffering."

"What, would you prefer I work at a hospital? Have patients volunteer and reimburse them? Did that, but now I can't." She paraded around the small space, away from Akira. "Couldn't if I tried. Either way, I don't back down. I made a promise to someone, and this medicine is an important step." She pivoted around, hands in her coat pocket. "Besides, having a clinic out of nowhere, where people trickle into treatment, fits my style."

Akira stayed silent.

"You can argue as much as you want about negative externalities. My medicine works, either way and I have the will and the right to use it. What's the issue at this point?

"Sounds like you're just a cold-hearted bitch."

She grinned snidely. "A bleeding heart doesn't pump."

He scowled in return.

"Look, I can't account for everything. The world is a dark place, with some bright spots." She then sat down in her chair. "I can't be afraid of stepping into the dark to reach the light. Does that answer your questions?"

Akira paused a bit more. "I guess."

"Now, are you going to rat me out? Keep in mind; I'll probably still find a way to keep working on this, one way or the other. I recited the Oath after all."

His head drooped.  _That medicine is useful though. Would I call it a necessary evil?_ "I'll…think about it. Give me a couple of days. If I do…you wouldn't be mad if I took more vials?"

She grimaced again. "You're annoying. Fine. If it will keep me from relocating, sure. Now….if you're going to stop the flow of students from Shujin, well…that's another thing."

He sighed heavily. "Can I…do something to make up for it?"

"Unless you like to take periodic metabolic panels and undergo blood assays, then no. Though…your normal body structure could help pad out the data. I'll think about it. This is only a thing IF you stay silent. If this blows up, I'll be gone."

She then opened a drawer and threw two more vials. "Take these for the road. Hopefully, they'll make you decide faster."

Akira walked out of the room in silence and out of the clinic, heading towards LeBlanc.

Morgana pushed himself out of Akira's bag. "You think you can survive the Castle without that medicine? That Shadow you got back there? I sensed it could help repair your wounds. But you ARE human. You only have so much juice yourself. The same thing applies to Ryuji."

Akira stopped walking.

"Akira?" Morgana said.

"Kamoshida goes down either way."

_...I'm not sure though what to gain from it._

_Whether I'll get rid of this...loathing feeling afterward._

* * *

4/19

Makoto hovered over her phone. The sun was just coming into the Student Council Room. The draft message was ready. The Send Button was there; she had to press it, and just wait and see at the place specified.

She pressed "Send."  _Worst case, I'll have to look carefully. Best case, as I see it, 'he'll' come in sometime today._

She then heard a knock on the door.

"Come in."

Akira came in, a Thermos in hand and a nutty aroma surrounding him. "I brought coffee. I feel like I needed it today."

Makoto fixated on the dark outline under his bags. "The thing you alluded to yesterday, is it troubling you that much?"

Akira rubbed his eyes. "Yes. No. I mean….maybe."

In truth, he had the same set of dreams again: of Mom, and of that night on the ground, held by a cop only a few blocks away from home; and of being paraded to jail in front of his family.

That, and more preparation, ate his sleep time away.  _Perhaps I should try to sleep earlier like Morgana suggested._

He then stared at the pile of paperwork in front of Makoto on the Student Council desk.

Makoto took notice. "I know, it's quite a bit. Recent events have caused a backlog."

Akira looked closer. "Financial reports?"

"Yes. It is policy for Student Council, when planning events, to give weekly reports on planned events. The financial reports are just one of the first steps of going back and forth bureaucratically that a President needs to do." She smiled a bit, playing with her hair. "I'm just boring you by describing this; don't listen to me closely."

Akira smiled back as he poured her coffee into a spare mug. "Given how crazy things have been…boring is welcome."

She looked amused. "You are truly odd."

"Well, you haven't run away yet because of it." He cleared his throat. "Seeing how the school is, you might just be the butt of another rumor if you stay around me."

She chuckled. "Like a silly rumor would stop me."

Akira shrugged. "Suit yourself."

He took a sip.  _Well…it's now or never._  "What I meant last night...I…came across something. A few things based on what you sent me. The guy in 'that' picture…"

Makoto looked surprised. "You found out something?" She raised herself out of the seat. "You should have told me earlier! Oh god…do you have an idea who it'd be?"

Akira's lazy eyes bolted up. "I…yeah, but…"

Makoto grabbed his hands excitedly. "What do you know?"

"I…" _God…you can be really single-minded._

_It's…kind of scary._

Akira recollected himself. "It's…complicated. You're right; he's a student….it's a delicate situation."

Her evil eyes came back. "How delicate is it?"

A sinking feeling formed in Akira's gut.

She looked away, her rage subsiding. "Everyone involved in this deserves retribution. It's serious enough to warrant it."

Akira darted his eyes away. "I know. I just…"

"What is it?"

Akira muted himself.

"Akira, you're not making sense," she said with great dismay. "A few days ago, you said yes to taking him down along with Kobayakawa. We NEED this. We need to know what happened."

Akira took a deep breath. "He's important. He CAN connect everything together…but we must go about this carefully. There are bigger problems at hand here! A whole system is at pla-"

She squeezed his hands furiously. "Stop treating me like a child! Don't you think I haven't already thought out how we're going to do this? You were willing to jump off a roof, for God's sake. Don't lecture me about how carefully we need to take it. I've already taken steps to lure this person."

 _What the hell...where is this coming from?_  Akira thought. "Well, excuse me, your Majesty….wait, steps?"

The door then suddenly opened. Mishima came in, his head down. He closed the door slowly and quietly, his hands shaking erratically and his legs wobbling. He took a step forward, and fell to the ground, going into a fetal position.

"That was quick," Makoto commented.

Mishima muttered something inaudible to Akira. He leaned in closer:

"I'msorryimsorryimsorryimsorryimsorryimsorryimsorry…"

Akira looked dumbstruck. He shook Mishima gently, trying to rustle him out of his stupor.

Mishima became more coherent. "I'm sorry. What I did to Suzui….just let me die, please."

Akira began to remember the spirit draining from him that one night, the one with sirens blaring for him. He figured it was the same sensation that dog felt when he felt powerless to change anything. The same sensation he felt for his Sister. The same one in the Castle.

And now, the same here.

Makoto leaned in closer, pity absent from her face as she showed the mystery photo on Shiho's phone. "Who took this photo?"

Mishima whimpered.

Makoto leaned down more. "Answer me."

 _This is escalating too quick._  "Makoto, just-"

"I did," Mishima wheezed out. "Kamoshida…he made me do it. With MY phone. And I helped…Kamoshida get Shiho to that…'point.' Whatever he wants…he does. We…even take part in beating people Kamoshida doesn't like sometimes. Including…me."

Makoto locked up, a hand placed in front of her mouth.

"I…deserve it. Just-"

"Go."

That forced Makoto from her daze. "Akira, what-"

"I swear, though, Mishima. I'm going to watch you like a FUCKING hawk. I'll get people to make sure of it. Get the fuck out of here."

Mishima jerkily stood back up and feebly walked from the room.

Makoto began to shake violently and squeeze Shiho's phone tightly. "Why….you asshole...why…did you let him go!?"

"….What would you have me do? Torture him more by locking him in the trophy case?" The judgment was creeping. "What the hell did you even do?"

"I lured him out, I told you that! I sent him a message, saying that I knew what he did to Shiho and to meet me here, while you were scanning over what I sent! I didn't want to have to wait on your hand and foot, goddamnit!"

Akira groaned. "You've traumatized the kid when he isn't the REAL problem. Plus...this seems just out of the blue, for you. Why did you even-"

Makoto scowled. "He IS the problem! He was one of the people who raped her! We could use him against Kamoshida along with the photo!"

"And what, ruin Shiho's life and prosecute his lackey instead? I don't deny he's despicable, but THIS,"-he pointed to Shiho's phone-"is a fucking distraction. Using this means it's more likely HE gets blamed, more than Kamoshida ever would. It's plausible deniability. And then what afterward? You're going to try and drag everyone on the team until they all confess? No, the problem is that the rule here orders people by gunpoint. Honest people, turned to pieces of shit, because of some silly idea of school pride, the 'exceptional' pushing around the 'non-exceptional.' There's going to be more people like Mishima. And it won't be entirely because of Kamoshida. It will be the people around him reinforcing this predator-prey bullshit. People like the team, and Senpai like you!"

"You bastard!" she said, slapping him on the chest. "How dare you put me in the same bin as-"

"YEAH I FUCKING DARE!" he yelled back, the barriers to restraint having weakened from staying up the night before. "YOU KNOW WHY!? Because, like him, I was paraded around and used by people who had authority over me to fuck with innocent people. People like my GODDAMN mom!"

"Akira…you're….maybe you should relax a bit…"

"SCREW YOU! I have nightmares about this, and other stuff leading to it, every single DAY! And I can't fix it! Because the law can easily be just an excuse to be an immoral asshole! Which is what you were being right now, claiming what you did to him was necessary!"

"Akira…please…you're not thinking clearly…"

His pitch lowered, but the fury was continuing to seep out. "Oh, I am thinking clearly. I haven't thought this clearly for a LONG time. But now, I see clearer. This is a goddamn game; you only care about getting scraps of resolution, rather than fixing anything. When things get tough, you get lazy, and now Mishima, someone a few days ago was willing to jump off a building out of guilt, is probably scarred even further!"

Makoto eyes became misty. "This…isn't a game. Rules…they're meant to protect the innocent….the rule of law…it's….NOT A GAME!" She began to sniff gently. "Everyone in my family fought for the law. They believed in it. I...believe that they believed in it. What good am I to them if I can't even do anything now? What good is it if someone who fights for the law lets evil be!?"

The sniffs became choked breaths.

Akira stood unfazed. "You're…disappointing. I thought you'd understand." He put his Thermos and coffee cup away, and grabbed his bag.

He left her sobbing slightly in the room.

The guns in his bag jostled and clacked together. "Indeed…there's always a better way. A way that doesn't kill your dignity."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, sorry to leave you guys on a sudden note.
> 
> I will try to have the first part of the next chapter, "A Matter of Aesthetics," probably by Friday (don't hold me to it).
> 
> In the meantime, I realized I've had some edits in previous chapters I didn't like (apologies to those subscribed if you've been getting spammed with constant updates on my end. When I did the updates, I....kinda forgot subscribers might be getting emails for every update. I guess that's the consequence of not being familiar with A03 as much as I am with FF.)  
> So in the future, if I do that, I'll probably keep that to a minimum....or warn you about it a chapter ahead.)
> 
> Either way, I hope you guys will continue to enjoy the twists and turns in store. I'm trying my best to wrap up the arc in the next...20,000-30,000 words, and to do in a satisfying way? It's getting a bit tricky.
> 
> Stay tuned...


	15. A Matter of Aesthetics, Part I

It was like Ryuji said: Ann was back. Not in the best of spirits, for obvious reasons. But she was back, sitting in front of Akira.

Akira rubbed his eyes another time to make sure.  _I had crust in my eyes anyway._

The rest of homeroom poured in, with Kawakami following suit.  _Five minutes to go before the start of the day._

A small pang of guilt plucked at his heartstrings.

_…Did I overdo it, back there?_

_I mean...I was near apoplectic._   _I…I wasn't on top of it._

_That's not the real me….I wasn't showing her the real me…was I?_

He grunted to himself.

_No…you WERE._

He pressed down on his jaw.

_It's only natural to be that way when you suppress THAT side of you. You had it coming. It is Mother's Day today, after all. If you pray to your dead Sister, then why wouldn't you toil over your absent mother? And lastly, you would hate the type of people that would book you for doing the right thing. The 'unlawful' thing...but the right thing._

_If anything, Prez made the mistake of pressing the wrong button back there, goose-stepping all over Mishima._

_Then again...you WERE leaving something open for her, Renren._

_That's how things are with her._

_Still...where was Prez hiding that side of her? I never figured her as that type..._

Akira sighed.

_What am I kidding? This is coming from ME, from all people. If anything, I should be glad I'm not alone; I should take the perverse pleasure in seeing her sadistic side. It would make...talking to her about my past a bit...easier. What I keep hidden because of Mementos._

_She at least deserves the former._

Akira darted his eyes down.

"Kurusu."

_Sadly...I don't get redos._

"Kurusu!"

He heard the sound of a slightly-annoyed, professional sounding woman droning into his ear.

"Are you getting enough sleep?" Kawakami said, the facemask off. "Kazuma complained yesterday about you sleeping in class."

"I didn't forget about the lab, if he's complaining about that."

Her eyes narrowed. "I'm being kind. You look terrible."

At this point, yelling at Makoto had taken the will to lie out of him.

"Rough night before...hitting your head does that. And well...other stuff."

Her face, taut with exhaustion, softened for him. "Somehow...I believe you. To be fair, though, you're not the only one here hit by what happened." She turned to Ann. "Sorry for dragging you in, but...I just wanted to offer my condolences. I didn't know Suzui-san personally, but I know about what kept you away from school. I think she'd appreciate it."

"It's fine." She then smiled, albeit weakly. "Thanks for acknowledging."

Kawakami then walked away, tending to a few prep booklets she laid open and propped on the side of the chalkboard.  _No doubt planning to talk about more of the Man'yoshu,_  Akira postulated. He then looked at his notes. In between the "useful" notes were the following scribbles:

"Revision 2.0. Smaller? More amperage?" Accompanying his scribbles: an outline of something to wrap a transformer in.

_I suppose...I should cover my bases. Worst comes to worst..._

His news alert buzzed. "Nikkei plunges 200 points further in response to investor worries about bank defaults."  _I bet that'll make the adults happy._

He noticed Ann staring out of the window, a pleading look on her face.  _She probably would rather stay with Shiho..._

He poked at her left shoulder. "Hey. Welcome back."

"Hey. I heard about everything from Ryuji..."

"...How much?"

She frowned. "Kamoshida and what he did. What you tried to do on the roof...it seems you're doing ok. You've healed up. That's good."

"I hope the same for you."

She sighed. "Honestly, I'm on pins and needles."

"Well, I wouldn't blame you."

"I also heard about the stuff with the Principal. At this rate, you should be worried about yourself more so about me."

He twiddled his fingers. "I'll be fine. It is what it is."

"Sorry, but that's bullshit. Tell the truth."

Akira bit the inside of his cheek. "Well, it isn't ideal. I feel though, things can come out fine in the end."

"You're rather cheery, under the surface." Ann then scanned around, checking to see if anyone around her within hearing distance. "Are you still plotting with Ryuji against Kamoshida?"

Akira feigned laughing. "Well, I'll tell you that, while I wish he gets run over, the answer is no."

She aimed her azure eyes on him for the longest time in some attempt to break him. "Ok then. Though...if you were, then I would be ok with it. It's the least I can do." She pouted slightly as she stared out the window once more.

"You should be careful," Morgana warned in Akira's table cubby. "Hell hath no fury..."

"Tell me about it."

As Ann continued to stare out the window, Akira's eyes were on something else.

* * *

The trio of thieves had sneaked their way past another set of guards, their discretion leading them out of an open window and onto the castle roof. Poking out of the castle roof was the main Castle tower, whose spire was pulsating the higher it went up.

"The distortions are strongest at the top there," Morgana commented. "I'll bet a million dollars the Treasure is up there."

"Getting up there, though, is another story," Skull said. He began to straddle his leg in secrecy.

"Look at the tower base," Morgana replied. It pointed to an array of thick, protruding ledges on the tower wall that led up to an opening on the castle wall. "We're Thieves. We can scale it easily."

Joker scratched the back of his head. "I don't think the two of us are-"

"I said we're  _Thieves._  Try it and stop complaining."

Joker shrugged. "My funeral, then." He ran up the ledge, surprised at how much traction he had against the ledge. And like a whizzing bullet, he quickly climbed himself up, poised to have a go at the next ledge.

"See? Simple." With similar speed and nimbleness, Morgana rejoined Joker. "Skull, don't fall behind now!"

23 ledges later, they made their way to the opening. On the other side was a spiral staircase, with the space above them graduating into a vibrating, crimson red space.

Skull was the last person to enter the staircase. He didn't bother to hide the aching in his leg.

Joker took note and pulled out one of Takemi's vial. "I'm not going to take chances with my energy, considering we have Distortion Land up there to deal with."

Skull grabbed the vial and rubbed the medicine on his leg. "I really need to get back to running."

 _Running can only help your leg so much Ryuji..._ "We'll take a minute for that to act."

 **"I...In-** tru **-"**

Akira drew his pistol at the stairs above him. It was a Shadow Knight, but with all of the professionalism and duty of the others gone. It quickly fizzled into a blue, puerile demon, poking its head slightly out of an ornate, black and gold urn.

_**"Mi-mister, please don't hurt me..."** _

"Huh. Look at that. Seems Kamoshida might be shaken a little, now that we're so close," Morgana mused.

Joker's expression softened. "Hey, kid. What's your name?"

The blue demon put his head back into a jar.  **"...Agathion."**

Joker lowered himself to the level of the urn. "I'm sorry. I'm a bit on edge. Forgive me. I'm Joker."

"Hi, Joker," Agathion said, his voice echoing off the urn. "You're such a grown-looking dude. You think...I'm being lame, hiding like this? "

Joker laughed. "Of course not. I'll say this. I was a quiet kid, growing up. I liked to tinker with electronics and chemicals in my room. I wasn't really a talker, and doing that made me happy. In a way...my room is like your urn there. And well...I think I turned out alright."

 **"REALLY?!"** he said excitedly.

"Well...a bit of that remains. But I evened out. I think."

" **You think...I can tag along in the meantime. Maybe...take some notes? Will your friends mind?"**

Akira shook his head from side to side. "Don't worry about it. We have plenty of room."

Agathion joined Akira's mask.

Agathion got comfortable.  _Mister._..you're _weren't lying about being a shy kid. That's nice to know...though, I didn't expect your family to be in that state. You must be quite sad. I don't really have family around me, either._

"Another one bites the dust."

"How many does that make, Joker?" Ryuji wondered.

"Well, Pixie, one of those horses, a Succubus...I'll count later. Upwards, then."

A climb up the stairs later, they found themselves in a room, littered with stacks of gold bullion and chests worth of jewels scattered in the corners. In the middle was a scintillating ethereal blob floating in the air.

"There! That blob is the treasure!" Morgana said, jumping giddily.

"Seriously!?" Skull said. "I was hoping for a big ass diamond!"

"That's what the second step is for. We now need to announce our intent to steal his Treasure using a Calling Card?"

"Why are we telling him NOW we're going to steal it?" Akira said with disbelief. "This seems dumb."

"The true Treasure won't appear unless he perceives it to be stealable," Morgana explained. "We don't have to announce it personally. We can create a Calling Card and slip it to where he'll see it. That'll be enough!"

"I VOLUNTEER AS TRIBUTE!" Skull said, raising a finger.

The other two stared at him with disapproval.

"What!? Cmon, I feel like I got to stick it to him personally!"

Akira sighed. "Skull...if we fail, or if we slip out we're the ones who did it-"

"Please!" Skull said pleadingly as he began to shake Joker by the shoulders.

"OK OK! Don't use your handwriting. Just...type it at the very least!"

"Awesome! I will go all out! Just gimme the word when you're ready, and I'll whip up something nice!"

Morgana shook his head. "This is not going to turn out good."

Skull's stomach began to grumble. "Let's call it a break for today. I'm hungry."

* * *

It was after-school, and Makoto couldn't help but draw blanks in response to what Akira bashed into her brain.

Still, part of her wanted to explain herself to Akira one more time before he left for home today. But the more she dwelled on it, the more she felt inadequate to approach him.

The library couldn't aid her in her rationale either.

She had a whole stack of books that she glanced through, the stack gradually getting bigger out of cognitive dissonance.

_Mishima..._

_Am I...truly part of the problem?_

_I mean...what the hell does the 'right way' even mean?!_

A vein on her head began to pop up. "Since when do books give such open-ended conclusions like this!?" she said as she slammed it onto her desk table. The sound made the students next to her jump from her notebooks.

"...Sorry," she weakly replied.

A student walked up to her. "Uhh...are you alright Nijima-san? I was hoping to ask about the forms for the chemistry club. They're busy shuffling due to the sudden lack of chemistry-"

She snarled. "Quiet. I'm busy."

"But Nijima-san, I-"

"Don't 'Nijima-san' me." She looked in her bag, scrounging for a small paper booklet. "Page 2: Bottom Page. Addendum's there for last-minute corrections. Follow the rule, fill out the necessary documents, and then drop it by Tohou-sensei."

"Uhh, Nijima-senpai, also, the Newspaper Club President has been sneaking around the Student Council Room again. She's been looking for stories about Kobaya-"

"Not important. Leave."

"But, Kobayakawa's been complaining of harass-"

"Oh, quit it already! Don't bother me with something you can't do on your own!"

"...Ok." Wakabayashi scurried off.

"...Sorry," she whispered.

Part of her wished, against all logic, that Akira could hear that.

She felt it was her time to head out, considering the ruckus she caused.

She had to catch the train early, after all.

Reaching the school steps, she opened her phone to check for any updates from Sae.

 **Sae:**  I need to wrap up some paperwork very quick.

 **Sae:** Petty crime cases.

 **Sae:** Shouldn't take too long.

 **Sae:** I'll be there in an hour.

* * *

School ended, and Ryuji was beaming. "C'mon, it's not too far!"

Akira couldn't help but imagine Ryuji as one of those giddy, Pavlovian dogs. "Don't drool now. You think I can take back leftovers?"

"I wouldn't judge you if you did."

"Just kidding, I didn't bring any containers."

Ryuji continued to walk on, shrugging with his hands in his pockets. "Your stomach, dude. Just hit me up later if you want to gun runnin' off the 'Mother's Day Five' you'll get after."

They arrived at where Ryuji was staying: a modest apartment complex, with a rice dispensary located out in front. The walkway to Ryuji's flat was narrow, made narrower by a small family moving boxes out of it into a small truck.

And Ann, by the door, leaning forward on the railing.

"Wait," Akira said in disbelief. "Did you invite her along?"

"It's secondhand for her. I've brought her so many times in the past whenever my mom made so much food she has a sixth sense for this shit. Wouldn't have made a difference."

Ann smiled, hands flatly pressed. "I brought containers, so I don't have to eat a cup of noodles tonight."

Ryuji looked peeved. "Why can't you get delivery like-"

In a snap, she walked over and slapped Ryuji in the blink of an eye, tears at the cracks of her eyelids. "Don't be an idiot."

"But-"

"But nothing! You know, I just want something nice tonight before I drop back at the hospital...can't you at least gimme that, Ryuji?"

"Uhh..I..."

Her tears were stacking.

"Oh fine, don't cry. Look, I'm sorry. I'm having a bad day like yours. Just...look come in. My mom will enjoy seeing you, so I guess that cool."

Ann then snapped back to smiling, hugging Ryuji, who now had a confused look on her face.

Morgana saw everything from a crack in Akira's bag. "Geez...I know I said what I said back in the classroom...but she's something else. A natural manipulator."

Akira smirked. "And a stubborn one. Ryuji has his hands full indeed."

Ryuji then let go of Ann. "Well, Akira, here it is," Ryuji said. "Umm…word of warning: she's going to be real…friendly?"

"What does that mean?"

Ann suddenly had a guilty look on her face.

"It's just her and me. Dad bailed a long time ago. Any guests I bring her…ehh, I guess she's a lonely lady."

"I'll add too that she can be a bit...spacey."

Despite Ryuji's lack of articulation, Akira nodded in understanding. "I got it; I'll show the greatest form of flattery by using my second stomach. Well…shall we?"

Ryuji then opened the door. They were greeted by a bare living room with cheap matting and white walls. Inside was a small futon, a small TV on the floor, and a decently sized, plastic, foldable table with foldable chairs.

The highlight was the food: a portable oven, lit, and heating a large pot of shabu-shabu along with large platters of beef.

"Hey, Ryuji," Akira whispered. "You think the table's going to hold with all of that food?"

"If this table she got last year is new...I'll say...50 percent chance?" Ann replied.

Ryuji sunk his head in his shoulders. "Oh cmon, it's not going to bust like in our middle school days."

An elated cry came from the small kitchen in the back corner. "Oh my god! Takamaki-san!" She began to smother Ann in a firm embrace. "I missed you last year!"

Ann blushed. "Uhh..yeah, it's been a while," she replied, straining for air.

She then switched from hugging Ann to grabbing Akira's face. "Oh my, is this a new track team member? He seems thin enough."

"I'm Akira Kurusu," he responded, air barely escaping his pressed-up cheeks.

"The name's Chihiro Sakamoto, by the way. You running hard for Shujin?"

Ryuji stammered. "Umm...mom, the track team broke up a while back. He's just normal."

She stared blankly at Ryuji. "Oh. Right." She then walked to a hole-in-the-wall that served as a kitchen to grab a pot from the stove. "Forgive me...I took a lot of knocks on the head when Ryuji was young. Don't mind me!"

Ann sighed heavily. "Knocks. Right."

She brought back a large clay pot. "I decided to add a Chinese dish this year. Braised pork belly! You gotta keep your body fed, what you still running on your own and all!"

"Uhh...yeah mom, right," Ryuji said nervously.

 _There's spacey...and there's this,_  Akira thought.  _And she said "knocks on the head" as well?_

Ryuji then gave a brief, but uneasy chuckle. "Well guys, let's eat!"

* * *

Sae had finished texting Makoto.

She was hunched over her work desk, not bothering to hide her personal flask.

_Petty crime, eh? Real lame excuse, Sae._

_Today is a special occasion, after all._ _You need all the time in the world, Sae._

_She doesn't need me to be a mess. I could care less about Dad, but Mom...she really doesn't need to see me like that._

She took a long swig.  _That'll help._

She then overheard the pats on the back her peers were giving to each other. Another robbery case to add to their tallies.

"Tallies," she grumbled. "If I knew I'd sign up for this...I'd gain the habit for the sauce when I was in college."

She heard more from the band of male officers:

"Real luck of the draw back there?"

"Since when is it ever? Shit always puts me on edge."

" _Izakaya_ tonight?"

"But of course. Drinks on me."

Sae sighed.

She started to feel numb again.

She opened her desk drawer. She had her carnations, but buried deep them was a chrysanthemum, instead of her first choice, a sunflower.

She stared at them for a long while.

She smiled sadly. "I just picked these out on the way to work," she muttered. "It's funny; a grieving flower buried in a bunch of carnations."

Her soul was starting to throb. She took another swig.

"It's almost...poetic." She sighed once more, as she stared at the "tallies" kept on a board across from her cubicle space, obsessing over the few slashes she's garnered.

She put the flask to her mouth again.

Her eyes widened. "It's empty." She then ran her hand through her hair. "Shit."

* * *

The trio only covered half of what was plated on the table, and the three were bursting at the seams.

Akira could feel his stomach about to tear the surrounding skin. "Ann, is this how it always feels like?"

Ann was about to open her mouth, but she briefly winced and held her belly. "Pretty much. The leftovers feel like this too."

Ryuji was face first on the table. "And yet, not an inch of fat on her," he said, muffled.

Ann leaned in closer. "Were you calling me fat right now?" she said, with creeping malice.

Ryuji, his sense of danger dulled from a food-induced daze, waved Ann off.

"I swear, Ryuji, you utter pig! You should treat women better" she said, grasping at Ryuji's collar. "I've been starting a diet regimen, you know?"

"A diet with less cake? Like that would make a difference, you bottomless pit."

"Urgh! You can be so annoying! I will never know why Shiho says these things about you, you have the consideration of a rock!"

The last comment flew over Ryuji's head, as he was fighting to keep his food down. He didn't fight for too long, as he rushed to the bathroom.

His retching wasn't helping Akira's constitution. "I guess that's why he invited me along, then."

"He always forgets to control himself. This happens EVERY single time." Ann sported the guilty look from before they entered. "But I'm pretty sure that's not the only reason he brought you along."

Akira raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

She lowered her voice. "Dealing with his mom, it takes a lot out of him. He's not the best with words, so I'll just be straightforward. His dad used to slap him and her around."

"Jeez..."

He then looked at Ryuji's mom, who was busy putting excess food in Ann's containers. "I always overdo it," she said quietly. "Can never make too much. Silly me."

Akira redirected himself back to Ann. "And that thing back there about track?"

"I don't know. I'd almost think it IS because of what his father did to her. I tried to ask exactly how, in an indirect way, but Ryuji didn't want to say anything further." She frowned. "Kamoshida didn't help things. She apologized to Ryuji when he got into trouble with Kamoshida. Probably got messed up from it. So much that she wishes every day Ryuji were still in track, bringing guys from the track team over."

Akira wasn't sure at this point whose mother he should be guilty about: his or Ryuji's.

Ann continued. "He may not act like it all the time, but he beats himself up about it quite a bit, y'know. Mother's Day is always the worst, since she acts the nicest towards him, giving him all of this food when she probably could save time and money by downsizing. I think he feels less awkward if you're with him."

 _Indeed, the universe has a cruel sense of humor it likes to tell to Ryuji. And to me._ "I would assume having you here would be enough."

"You say that, but I can only do so much. Kamoshida didn't help matters either, with Ryuji wondering for the longest while what I was actually doing."

Akira grinned slightly. "He catches up to things slowly."

"It'll take a bit. Plus I'm good at getting my way."

"So I can see..." He took another look at Ryuji's mom, toiling away still in the kitchen. "I guess I'll help her with packing, then."

Despite wanting to nap, Akira picked himself up and waddled to the kitchen. "I'll help with some of that stuff, if you don't mind."

"Oh, there's no need," she responded. "But, I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth." The two then went on divvying the leftovers between Ryuji and Ann.

After a while, Chihiro opened her mouth.

"You know, Ryuji can be such a handful. You, on the other hand, seem quite nice and unassuming. Don't you have a mother waiting on you?"

Akira gave a sheepish grin. "I'm sorry, my mom isn't usually available around this time of the year."

Her overbearingly joyous expression dampened for the first time. "You poor thing. You at least talk to her?"

"...Here and there."

"Well, that's better than nothing." She dampened even further. "Ryuji, my boy...he had such a hard time growing up. His dad wasn't the nicest of people. A real brash, cruel fellow. It's terrible for me to say, but I think at times some of that rubs off on him. Always arguing with his coach...picking fights." She then sniffled. "I wish I could be around him more, but I can't. At this rate, he'll...be off..." She sobbed slightly.

For a moment, there was a part of him that wished it was her mom saying this in person.

In the end, something made him want to speak, ignoring whose mom he was talking to.

Something from the heart.

"I think, deep down, your son is trying to be the best person he can be. Although he..."

Akira choked slightly.  _I can be a bother indeed..._

"He can be a bother, believe me. But, at the end of the day...he won't be doing it for a bad reason. You know, when I'm at school, I see it happen. Sometimes, you just have to be a decent kid over being a nice boy. And well..."

_We can always be more._

"He is a decent kid who has my back. He's more than meets the eye."

She cleared her nose. "Well...coming from a nice-looking man like you, that's means something. You do well in school?"

"I manage."

She smiled. "I'm glad. Maybe you can help him study and he can help you run. Now that I am looking at you up close, you could get a bit toned."

Ryuji came out of the bathroom, gasping for air. "God, that much food fit into my stomach?"

"Hey Ryuji, why don't you go running with this kid? He might keep you out of trouble, young man!"

He collapsed on the floor next to the futon, staring upwards blearily at Ann. "Another time...Ma. I think we're both stuffed."

Akira's phone began to ring. He recognized the number. "Sojiro? What you need?"

"Not to rush, but someone wants to see you. Says he likes to twirl his phone around like you."

Akira beamed. "Hope I didn't keep him waiting too long."

"Well, he insists on seeing you today. Says he got to tell you something important."

He sighed as. "Gimme an hour."

"He'll wait. His gift of gab will prick at my mind until then."

 _Definitely him._ "Sorry, I should get going."

"But of course," Chihiro replied. "Seemed like someone special on the end. Here, take some containers on my end. You can have Ryuji take them back when you're done."

"...You're too much."

"PLEASE!" Ann and Ryuji cried in unison.

"Oh fine, I'll take some."

A few minutes passed, and Akira was carrying three containers full of food, strapped together with rubber bands.

Chihiro led him out. "Well, thanks for coming with Ryuji today. It makes me happy, knowing he's still able to make friends." She bowed slightly in front of Akira. "Please...take care of him...where I can't."

"...I'll try."

Back in Ryuji's apartment, outside Akira's hearing range:

Ann and Ryuji still lazily laid themselves around the general area of the futon.

"Hey...Ryuji...have you been getting a weird app on your phone? I...can't delete it."

Ryuji began to snore.

Ann pouted. "I'll harass you later when you're not drooling."

As Akira walked down the stairs, Akira couldn't help but remember that night by the  _butsudan._

He imagined his sister was lending an ear from beyond.  _You know...I promised a while back, Sis, that I would watch over the people that cared for me. I wished it was out of humility...given what happened. But it took me a while to realize it was just a defensive mechanism._

_'Not letting anyone die from my selfishness?' Bah. I was just shifting to a different selfishness._

_I realize now that such care is a heavy weight that's worth bearing._

_But if I get out of this safe and sound...what after that?_

_I was hardy enough to bear the weight of Mishima, the pitiful sack. After Kamoshida (alive, preferably) and his sick, twisted system of sadism is dealt with, I wonder whether there'll be a need to bear a weight past that._

_Then..._

He pulled out more of Takemi's empty vials.

_There's the question is how heavy of a weight of a weight you want to carry. Assuming...I can do that._

_I hope, when I face Kamoshida...I'll be able to decide that, then and there._

"Well, tonight we feast! Aren't we, Morgana?"

"But of course!"

* * *

Akira awkwardly fumbled with his containers through the door to LeBlanc.

"Does the fridge have space?" Akira said.

Sojiro turned around, his eyes wide for a brief moment. He then snorted. "Yeah sure. Not like I wanted to keep other things in the fridge. Just hand them to me, and I'll find some room."

"Ahh…I've finally caught up with you."

His eyes lightened a bit, and his hands loosened up. "Uncle? What are you doing here?"

"To torture me," Sojiro replied snappily. "Seriously, who did you panhandle to get this much food?!"

"What do you think, boy? To see you, of course!" he replied, raising his glass of coffee. He was dressed up in a white and black  _kannushi,_  the tall black hat accompanying it placed to his side. "Forgive me, I'm probably not supposed to present myself without my hat on, but please sit!"

At the base of the stool on which his uncle sat was a red-eyed, white dog, wearing an orange vest.

Akira raised his eyebrows. "I wouldn't expect someone like Sojiro to let pets in."

"Pfft," Sojiro replied. "I don't. But, it's empty today, so I don't care."

Ryuzaki chortled. "He is SUCH a liar. He loves pets. He used to feed strays when we grew up together as children."

"Childhood friends, eh?" Akira replied.  _That DOES make sense. Mom…..mom would probably have more stories about this._

Suddenly, the dog stood up and pawed upward.

"Hmm, he seems more enthusiastic than usual," Ryuzaki commented.

The dog then nudged at Akira's school bag and then barked.

"Shit! Is that a dog out there?!" Morgana yelped.

Ryuzaki then had a toothy grin. "Oh my, I might have spoken too soon! Ren, my boy, what DO you have stored in your bag?"

Akira scowled. "I HATE it when you sport that devilish grin."  _I also can't let him see in my bag all of the equipment._  "Sorry, Morgana, play along, or otherwise he'll just drag you out of the bag."

Akira opened his bag, and Morgana jumped out onto the floor and meowed. Koromaru, in response, leaned forward playfully, its tail waggling.

Ryuzaki leaned forward to pet him. "I think your feline friend made him into a puppy again!" He then walked over and stared at the black cat that appeared

Sojiro stormed over to see. "No wonder I heard meowing. Why?!"

Akira shrugged. "He had no home. Wouldn't stop harassing me, so I brought him home."

"This is a restaurant though!" Sojiro replied.

Koromaru then barked.

"I believe the dog said 'But what about me?'" Ryuzaki said while simpering.

Sojiro sighed. "Well, I suppose it'll be good for him to channel his energies into something positive."

Akira became toothy. "You said that last time when she was here though!"

Sojiro grimaced, red hot and with a canine brandished. "You ass; just keep him upstairs when I'm open." He pivoted to Ryuzaki. "I'm sorry for ever doubting you. You are INDEED his uncle. Or at the very least, related."

"I heard a 'she' though. " Ryuzaki quipped.

Sojiro then had a self-amused look on his face. "Yes, a very fine, respectable lady known as Makoto. The student council president no less, and he bags her for a study date within his first week."

"And we'll leave it at that, thank you very much," Akira interjected.

Ryuzaki beamed, his voice lighter. "Such a carnivore! Though I don't understand why you're so se-cre-tive about it. Seems like you still have some grass-eating parts left in you, you wallflower!"

"….I am not a wallflower. Nor am I a herbivore."

His uncle continued. "…You know, I think I see pink petals growing out your ears…"

"Sadist."

Sojiro shook his head. "This schmaltz of you guys. Seriously, go outside if you're going to be like this."

Ryuzaki finished his cup. "You know, I will do that. The boy has to catch up to speed on a lot of things. Come, Ren. You can leave your cat here."

"I'll stay," Morgana said, leaping from a stool to Akira's shoulder. "Your uncle though is giving me a weird look."

"I guess the feline wants to tag along. Fine, he can listen, the eavesdropper."

"Wait," Sojiro said. "...You name it already?"

"It's Morgana," Akira responded.

Sojiro's head tilted down slightly.

"Told you he was a cat person," Ryuzaki said, still simpering as he opened LeBlanc's door.

"SHUT UP!"

Ryuzaki and company were now in the alleyway, the sun still golden. "I love that man. He isn't giving you a hard time, is he?"

"I guess not. He tried to in the beginning. But he loosened up."

"Good. Now...I have things to tend to. You hear of the Meiji Shrine?"

Koromaru barked happily.

Akira gave a half-smile. "Everyone does."

Ryuzaki then caught the attention of a blue butterfly, which rested on his right shoulder. "Care to join me? We can walk and talk on the way?"

"I suppose that's fine."

* * *

Makoto opened her eyes. She found herself at the graveyard, located in an enclave of trees not too far from the Meiji shrine. Its tombstones greeted her, casting their deep, dark shadows on each other. She was already in front of the right row. Now...she just had to wait, carnations hoisted on her arm.

A breeze started to roll in, loosening the petals and separating Makoto's hair by the strands. A quick walk later, and she found the pair of the hour: the ashes of Kazuhito Nijima, laid next to those of his wife, Hinata, "Sunflower".

For the first time, since forever, she felt tired enough to get on her knees.  _Thanks to Kurusu..._

She sat on the gravel between the two gravestones, the setting sun straight in her face so that everything else around her washed out.

She felt like saying something in the meantime.

"I...don't really do this. Talking as if you'd hear me...it's...silly. Doesn't make sense to do it. I've been trying to keep it at just looking at your stuff in the box, from time to time..."

She paused again.

"But I am."

She bowed her head.

"You know, I've been trying my best as of late."

The wind, picking up, whistled through the pair.

"I really thought I was taking control of things. I thought, for the longest while after you joined Mom, I would grow up like Sae. Handle everything my own way."

Whispers.

"I realized I haven't been honest with myself. I've been just going along, doing what I've been told is...appropriate. And even then...I can't help but think..."

She paused, straining to find her next words.

"No. I can't help but start to  _feel_  good and appropriate are not the same. Which is a shame since...I don't know where you and Sae fit in anymore. Which camp you fit in. Whether...there's anything worth keeping."

Her throat started to hurt.

"It's worse since...everything related to you guys just feels so cold now. Sae is lifeless. And you're not here. And now...there's this boy. An odd boy; unlikely Sis would enjoy his company. And yet...after just a week, I can't help but feel a warmth I haven't felt since...before you joined Mom."

She bit her bottom lip, fidgeting about.

"This is all so embarrassing. I'm just a stupid, immature kid."

She then heard an eerily familiar voice:

"Seeing your sister as of late, that probably isn't a bad thing."

She looked up. A figure, darkened by the exposure of the sun and having a billowy, curly outline around its head, approached her. The figure got sharper...revealing...

Herself.

But with some noticeable differences: Yellow eyes; dark, gray shirt, the shirt having tears sealed with silver bangs, ripped leggings; and a lock and chain wrapped tightly around her neck.

Makoto grimaced. "I haven't had this vivid of a dream since-"

"Dad died? Shame, you should dream more."

"I doubt I'll be having this dream long," Makoto replied curtly.

"But, then again, you're a walking, talking calculator. Driven by logic and repression. You'd never let yourself open to the vision of your mind unless prodded to your limits."

Makoto looked down. "Nijimas are hot-blooded. You saw how I was today. Some self-limitation seems prudent."

"That?" her other self replied. "You wouldn't be exploding like that if you didn't pretend you were someone you were not."

"Pray tell what you mean," she said, scowling.

Her other self crossed her dreams. "Pretending to be like Sis? Like 'Dad'? You could be so much more than that. To pursue righteousness over lawfulness?"

"I'm already trying to be more than that!" she yelled.

"What, snapping out at people? Telling them to do something they couldn't do on your own? Sounds like Sis to me. Perhaps you'll acquire a taste for alcohol that'll rival your thirst for water."

Makoto choked on her own words.

"There you go. Suppression again." She then reached for the cremation urn placed at the patriarch's grave. "Refusing to get enough courage to take the first step on your own. You're only good at following orders, dealing the ashes of adults superior to you." She then poured it on the ground.

"BASTARD!"

Makoto charged at her specter, ready to take her down and then some. She reached out for her hand, in an attempt to twist her around. Her other self, though, straightened her arm out and clotheslined her.

Her other self flipped Makoto over, leaned her entire weight on Makoto's arm, pinning her down with her knee.

"Do you feel it? This is how  _I_ felt. You just never bothered to feel anything to register it. Because THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS when you aspire for results! What happens to Sae when she aspires for results!"

"I...I...that's..."

"And now, my dear, you've overextended yourself. Something has to give. What is it? Your precious case against Kobayakawa and Kamoshida...or something else? Look ahead and maybe you'll reach the enlightenment I ask of you."

Makoto put her head up and saw a pink, lotus flower sprout from the washed out ground.

"...A lotus flower?"

"The OTHER name for it, Honor Student!"

She thought about it for a brief moment.

Then...it hit her heart. Hard.

"...'Ren'..."

"Yes. You remember what he said? That he was basically going to do it 'the right way.' What does it mean, I wonder? You remember him on the rooftop. The outbursts. The implication's there. Would you let him be, knowing he might do something reckless? Reckless...something you promised to him so emptily, when you are currently so disconnected from everyone, you can't even back up those words with anything substantial for such a kindred spirit as his? It's a shame, since that would be the only significantly righteous gesture you've done in a while. Kindness, my dear, can add up...if you tried to not be concerned about everything fitting in place."

Makoto voice was wavering. "I...there has to be a way..."

Her other self grunted and let go. "Fine. Have it your way for now. You'll see soon enough. With the trajectory Sae's been going down, with all her self-loathing...you'll decide soon enough on one or the either. You don't have the luxury to dither." She leaned into Makoto's ear. "You can wake up now. Your destination's here."

* * *

Makoto's eyes shot open. The train she was on was empty, except for the carnations she had gotten for today.

Walking over to the cemetery, she couldn't help but wonder...if perhaps her heart was screaming something true.

Like always, the gravestones were located in an enclave of trees not too far from the Meiji shrine.

They cast their deep, dark shadows on each other. She was already in front of the right set of gravestones.

Now...she just had to wait, carnations hoisted on her arm.

Waiting to be proven wrong by the 'darkness' inside of her.

A breeze started to roll in, loosening the petals and separating Makoto's hair by the strands.

A few minutes later, she saw Sae in the distance, holding her flowers.

She noticed her stumbling.

The horror she was witnessing, and the shame of not seeing her sister's destitution, made Makoto stare longingly for her sister to come back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Existential crises for 500, please.
> 
> Anyways, despite how slow this story might be wrapping up, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter part, especially after the doozy that was the last update. Hope to get the last part of this chapter out next week, so I can get working on the finale to this arc.
> 
> UPDATE UPDATE: Sorry, but it seems like I wasn't able to really finish the update. Apparently, it was flu season, which explains why I was so sniffly and bedridden last week.
> 
> As of now, I got better enough to where I'm back to writing. Next part should be this Friday (or Tuesday if I'm up to do it that fast)
> 
> I'm also aware of it being Makoto Nijima Week, so I'm also thinking about making a submission for that depending on how I feel between getting the next chapter out and work.
> 
> Stay tuned (and for those that are continuing to read so far, thank you very much!)


	16. A Matter of Aesthetics, Part II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Note: If you got notified by email about updates, apologies. I'm polishing up the chapters from before. I don't imagine I'll be doing too much editing after posting the final chapter of the Kamoshida arc.)

Stormclouds crept over the horizon.

"Don't worry...I'm  _faien..."_ Sae blurted lazily with a dry, raspy throat.

Under closer observation, the damage was worse than she imagined.

Sae had her work jacket hanging on her back like a weary traveler on the side of the road.

Her workshirt, usually white, bleached, and pressed of every crease that crossed Sae's eye while on the ironing board, was damp, dingy, and wrinkly around the collar.

Her long, silky, smoky hair was now a matted, billowy gray cotton ball, with strands snaking down the side of her head.

And now...Makoto had to face this Sae.

"No...you're not," Makoto said. "You're drunk. In public. In...a graveyard..."

"What are you, my mother?" She looked droopily down at their mom's grave. "You don't have dat right."

"You can't be serious...I'm not trying to replace her. She's our mom! I miss her as much as anyone would."

Sae arm became outstretched, attempting to track Makoto's afterimage. "'As much as anywon wuld,'" she said mockingly _. "_ You miss her 'cuz you hafta. The same wayyou mis' Dad 'cuz you hafta." Her voice became even hoarser. "You an immatur' BRAT. A bookworm who spent her time in hur roohm readin' everythin' on the Earth' inste'd of gettin' a clue." I can't escape what I feel just like YOU can. Just 'cuz...you didn' kno' Mom as long as I did. I can' stop bein' angry 'cuz Dad was an impulsiv' jerk."

"Sis..." she said, her larynx seizing. She started to extend a hand out to Sae. "Please...that's not true. Here, I can barely hear you. Let me take you home. We can come back-"

"I DON'T WANNA COME BACK!" She then slapped Makoto's hand out of the way. "EVUR!" She stumbled for a moment. "Everythin' Dad said...about the force doin' good. Bunch of bullshit careerists, and I hav' to play the game. Because of Daddy."

Makoto's face twisted in confusion. "What are you even saying?"

Sae gave a disconcerting, smug grin as she pulled out some loose change from her pocket. "You see dis?" she said in garbled language, her right eyelid down halfway. "This coin 'ere?" She put it on her thumb to flip, but it fell on the ground. "Wel...if it flipped...you understand...that's what it boils don' to...chance."

"Chance?"

"IT'S A FUCKIN' GAMBLE. Getting criminals...nobodi' takes me seriously 'cuz I don't have wrinkles like the rest of 'dem. Or THESE." She motioned towards her breasts. "I can't move up at this rate. WE DESERV' BETTER!"

Makoto's blood started to boil at Sae's spectacle.

"I hope you get that, Ms. Beep Boop."

Makoto took a step forward, balling her fists.  _Beep-Boop?_

"You're so naive. You're goin' to end up like me, whether you like-"

Makoto slapped Sae, putting some needed color on her face and making her spill the change in her hand.

"No...I won't," Makoto replied curtly, yanking Sae's flowers out of her hand.

Sae continued to linger with her head down, staring at Dad's grave, sober for a brief moment. "What...are you doing?"

Makoto paused. "Doing the right thing: being your dear, sincere sister." She laid Sae's carnations on their mom's grave and clasped your hands. "You should head back and sleep. I'll join you later tonight. If you bother to wake up."

"But..."

Makoto closed her eyes, head down. "You should take a sick day as well."

"But...promotion.."

"BUT NOTHING!"

Sae staggered trying to straighten her back. "...I'm sorry. I'll...get going then." She trudged a bit, the same way she came. "I still love you...all three of you," she muttered.

Makoto continued to pray for the health of her family in silence. The prayer, for the first time, felt meaningful. It felt needed.

Though, now, there was one issue still on the table. A fork she would approach when she was done praying: where she would go home tonight.

* * *

The twilight strobed through the windows of Akira's tram.

While their car was shaking around, Ryuzaki shook his head in between sips from a bottle of iced tea. "Gods, that's so sad. He still keeps those books around?"

Akira shrugged. "I guess so. I don't understand why he can't throw them away."

Ryuzaki sighed, thinking back to a time when Sojiro's self-loathing over "that" woman led to more empty whiskey bottles. "I have ONE idea. Too long of a story, and well, there are more pressing matters at hand."

"Such as?"

Ryuzaki capped his drink. "I'm moving up to Tokyo."

Akira's eyes lit up. "Seriously!?" Akira was midway in raising himself up, but the tram slowed down at their destination.

The pair and their pets exited out of the tram and walked the short distance to the shrine. "It'll be a small studio, so no bunking. Sorry."

Akira's hopes ebbed.

"But I'll be around. The people at the Meiji Shrine needed some extra help. Public events and such. There was a senior opening. I took it. The small stipend will be enough."

The two reached the shrine walkway, making sure they bowed in front of it. They walked down a long, sylvan pathway that led to the main buildings with the offertory box.

The pair then made sure to clean their hands and mouth at the shrine fountain.

Akira smiled cheekily, hoping it could hide his modicum of worry. "Going to eat bean sprouts for the year then?"

Ryuzaki then smiled awkwardly. "Don't go joking around like that. You know some people actually live that way...BUT, I know what you're asking. I won't be breaking the bank. I'm a priest, not an ascetic." He then looked down at his canine companion, sitting patiently and quietly. "You'll have some space too, Koro-san."

Akira sighed in relief. "Good; though you seem pretty hardcore compared to most other people at the shrines. They think its a cultural heritage site. You going to proselytize to them?"

Ryuzaki grinned. "No. I intend to enlighten them."

Akira then took a long look at the dog. "So...the dog? You holding it for someone? How long?"

"Who knows? The owner, a lad same age as you, said he'd be in China of all places for several months. Considering where he was going, he thought the dog was getting too old to keep up with him."

Koromaru laid himself on the floor, grunting in something akin to indignation in humans.

"China eh?  **Tā huì zhōng wén ma?** "

Ryuzaki chuckled. "Cute. And yes, he knows enough. For you, you should keep practicing; it'll take a while before you can switch between languages as easily as your mom."

"Yeah..."

Koromaru whimpered, worried by the expression on Akira's face.

"What's wrong, boy?" Ryuzaki then saw Akira's face.

Ryuzaki sighed.  _Well better now than never._  "So about your mom...you talk to her at all?"

Akira nodded, the wisecracks now harder to escape his throat.

"You doing ok after that?"

Akira cleared his throat. "Yeah...I'm doing fine."

"Are you really?"

"Yeah...perfectly fine."

He stared at his face and blew a jet of air out of the side of his mouth. "...You are not fine. What did she even say?"

Akira gave himself a minute for his thoughts to settle. "It's what she didn't say that was troubling...How long has she been sick?"

"...What makes you say that?"

Akira sighed hotly. "A hunch. Intercoms. Public phones."

"...You're just guessing."

Akira stared at his uncle, eyes steady. "I believe in hunches. Even thin ones."

Ryuzaki shuddered and hunched his back, shaken by the look in Akira's eye.

_The same one six years ago._

Ryuzaki became visibly pained. "...When we were growing up."

"Why...Why did she never tell me?"  _I mean, she's mopey…but…_  "I may be no doctor, but she looked healthy."

Ryuzaki shook his head. "Our parents, the old coots they were, saw it as an 'unspeakable disease.' The kind that makes you ruminate on things too much. A 'poison of the mind' that made her too…'different.'"

Akira sat on the steps with a snarl on the corner of his mouth. "For you, I suppose it's bad enough to be talked about so euphemistically. 'Poison of the mind,' eh?"

"I'll admit, it's unfortunate. Even now, I don't know what this poison is. I'm making sure the more qualified people can figure out for me. Knowing you, you'll lose sleep playing internet detective if I give you any details about symptoms and such. So I won't go further than that."

Akira felt his chest tighten. "Just...at least tell me why they were scared so much."

"Your grandfather thought she would never be successful if anyone found out about it. He was that paranoid. And we had this silly thing called 'the Amamiya family name' back home to consider."

Akira shook his head, skinning his teeth. "So petty...it's their daughter, for god's sake!"

"I raised hell about it so many times, back when we were both in university. There were signs she was getting worse. But Dad told me off, even threatened not to fund my Waseda tuition if I brought her to a doctor."

"And you didn't do anything!?" Akira yelled, putting his chest forward.

Ryuzaki stood still, his heart jolting slightly. "She was distraught enough to the point of…well…I rather not say. But I was young and brash then; I told her I would drag her to the nearest psychiatrist if she wasn't going to do it herself. But...she refused. Raised even more hell than Dad, the stubborn woman."

Akira became limp in the shoulders, the fire in them snuffed out. "...Why?"

Ryuzaki laid a hand on Akira's shoulder and touched it gently. "...I don't know. it's a weird thing, the mind. A foreign place that makes people slide on short notice. She was at times the most, stubborn, goal-oriented, perfectionist of a woman you would see. And then others...the most self-loathing, temperamental creature you would ever meet."

"...Yeah, sounds like Mom alright." His legs were heavy, so he sat in the lotus position in front of Ryuzaki. "It's a shame...I just feel like...in the corner of my mind, I knew something was up with her."

Ryuzaki leaned slowly on his right knee to meet him, eye-to-eye. "You were a kid. Things don't come all at once. It's not your fault."

"...Thanks."

Ryuzaki then leaned forward, his head on his fist. "You know, you do remind me of her in so many ways. The good and bad. It frightens me a little."

"Why you say that?"

"Because I see a glitter in your eye like hers. One that allows you to charge through anything thrown at you, without a care in the world. We all have it; yours, in my eyes, shines the most intensely. And then...I remember when your sister died. How quiet you became. That permanent, tortured scowl on your face. Kind of like the one you have now. Your dad, the meathead he is, thought you were just stressed over school when you didn't shape up after the funeral as fast as him."

Akira gave a wet, choked laugh. "That idiot..."

"Understandable why you wouldn't be alright. And then juvenile hall...I know you try to hide it. But I can see it still in the micro-creases of your eyes when you clam up."

Akira, out of self-consciousness, looked at the ground. "...Well, I can't say juvenile hall, with their provisions against interacting with other inmates, made me a well-balanced individual."

"I'm just saying...I'm always worried. Stuff like that...growing up around overbearing parents, being a shut-in, at home and in prison...stuff like that rubs off and sticks to you." His eyes drooped slightly. "Society has a bad habit of doing that. Putting people in small rooms, imprinting their external aura on you. People like y-."

"Mom?"

"...I suppose so."

Akira's head though sunk down further. "Hey...you think Mom will ever come back home?"

Ryuzaki smiled sadly. "I can't say. She asked me not to say. And-"

"Yeah...I know. I would have done a similar thing."

"...Spoken like a true acolyte." He then attempted to lighten up the mood. Like uncle, like nephew. "What, you anxious for her to get back so she can take custody of you already?"

"Nah, not that...Probably wouldn't feel too good facing her anyway. I'm just funny like that."

"Ren...you're acting like you're not worthy of forgiveness. That or don't feel like you're up to the task of facing Home again."

"...Believing you're worthy and feeling you're worthy are different things. Seeing your Mom cry when they roughhouse you into a police station does that. And don't get me started on Dad. I don't even want to imagine being a mechanic for the rest of my life. No matter how much I like tinkering."

Ryuzaki exhaled slowly as he reached into his sleeve. "I think you should take this and head back." It was a plain, white letter with no return address. "Read it when you have the time. Don't make a scene when you do."

Ren squinted his eyes. "...Thanks for the encouragement."  _Jackass._

"Let us pray quick; it's starting to get late. I'll need to handle some stuff over here at the shrine, but before we pray, I'll just say this: sometimes in life, you have to look at the long-term." He pointed up at the sky, now coal-black from the thunderclouds strolling in. "Life is kind of like trying to gaze at the moon and the stars. It may not seem like the stars will ever come, but they will, at some point in space and in time. It's all just a matter of aesthetics."

"...I'm lactose-intolerant, you know."

Ryuzaki grunted. "Just make the offering already."

They bowed; dropped their 5-yen coins; clapped twice, left hand in front; and bowed again.

Ren then left with Morgana in his bag.

Morgana then wrestled himself out of his bag halfway between the main grounds and the archway. "Hey...Akira, you alright?"

"...I'm alright. Ish."

Morgana whimpered. "...We're only scratching the surface with you, aren't we? I don't think even Sojiro's coffee can fix it."

"I don't expect it to."

Ryuzaki stared ahead. "Ahh LeBlanc...right." He then pulled out his phone and rang Sojiro. "Hey Soji."

"It's Sojiro, jackass. You bringing him back yet?"

"He'll be there in about an hour. Bring out the premium stuff. He'll need it."

Sojiro sighed through the speaker. "...Shit. Loose cannon or mopey mess?"

"...I don't know yet at this point. I can only do so much my way."

"A coin toss. Got it." Sojiro then hung up.

Ryuzaki then saw a news alert on his phone. "Sudden passing of key figure in the ruling party means bailout bill stalls in Diet. Asian stocks expected to plummet." He then sighed, as another moonlight neon-blue butterfly landed on his shoulder. "What a great world I've left him with." He then turned to the butterfly's friends, which were flying across a now-peeking moon, speckling.

"Gods forgive me for my hesitance."

* * *

"About time."

Ryuji opened his eyes lazily. "Food comas are the best."

"Except when you snore," Ann pouted.

"You're still here!?"

"Of course she is," Ryuji's mom said, still cleaning in the kitchen. "She's a lady. She doesn't eat too much."

Ryuji chortled under his breath. "Tell that to the tab she collects at Big Bang Burger."

Ann then slapped Ryuji over the head. "Stop being Ryuji, Ryuji."

"What?! What does that mean?"

Ann let out a groan. "...Nevermind." She then twirled one of her bangs, lost in thought. "Hey...you think you could walk with me over to the hospital?"

"You made it over here fine. Why you asking now?"

Ann continued to alleviate the jitters in her hands by stroking her hair. "...Shiho's awake. Her parents told me over the phone earlier today."

"Wait, seriously?!" he said, raising himself off the floor.

"...I'm nervous."

"Why!? You should be happy!"

"I am... I really am. I'm just...I don't know what to say. I thought I wouldn't be speaking with her for a while. Then she wakes up, and I'm drawing blanks. Maybe..if you could be there, it wouldn't be so-"

"Shitty?"

Ann frowned.

"...Fine. I've been meaning to drop by anyway."

Ann gave a half-smile. "It's not that far. I can walk home when I'm done."

Ryuji propped himself off the floor. "Ma, I'm going to walk her home."

"Alright sweetie. You're being such a gentleman today, what's gotten into you of all things?"

Ryuji shrugged. "...I just feel like it."

"Modest as always. Don't forget an umbrella!"

"I know!"

"Doubt it," Ann quipped. "You never pay attention to the weather."

"I do!"

Ryuji and Ann went outside and walked their way to the hospital down a side alley.

"I STILL remember all the times you decided to rush to school in the rain because you were running late and didn't look out the window."

"...True. I mean...it was just rain, though."

Ann sighed. "Tell that to the person who used to deal with the wet dog smell after."

"...Yeah...used to."

"...Used to..."

There was a brief, but painfully awkward silence.

Ann broke it first. "...L-let's talk a bit more once we get to the hospital."

* * *

Akira and Morgana walked a lonely side street from Shibuya, lined with lamplights that streaked into the horizon.

Even on the train, Akira couldn't help but be fixated on what was inside the note. And as he got ever nearer to LeBlanc, his stare got ever more intense.

"You've been staring at that thing for a while."

Akira kept mum.

"Akira, are you listening to me?"

"Can I pretend not to?"

Morgana snarled and pounced on Akira's letter. "Gimme that."

"Hey!"

Morgana, with its felines, tore open the letter's top. "Ooh, 50,000 yen!"

"Give it back!" Akira then swiped the letter back.

"Now you have an excuse to read it."

"...I was going to wait until I got back."

Morgana sighed. "We have quite a way to walk back; better you read it now while you're walking."

Akira grunted. "Fine." He pulled out the small letter and pocketed the cash. "Mom doesn't usually do this card type of thing on Mother's Day."

He prepared himself and sat down on the curb under a streetlight, in front of a closed convenience store.

He took a deep breath and looked at the first line:

_Son, I write this to you in a somewhat alright mood. Not like the last time I called._

_I blame my new meds. They make me dizzy. I should complain to the doctor._

_When I have the energy to._

_By now, your uncle probably blabbed about my 'state of being.'_

There were noticeable taps of the pen on the period in the letter.

_I just wanted to say that, regardless of what I am, I'll be your mother always. Even if I (Dad especially) am not the most well-equipped at being it._

_That's why I'm sorry to say that I'm now unfit. A shattered porcelain bowl. I'm too shattered to show myself to you with my head held high (pride is a staple in functioning members of the Amamiya family)._

_Life will lead you to that. You start off being pristine, but life throws you anything, including the kitchen sink. And it leaves more cracks. And then...you just collapse._

_It's times like this where I envy my brother's strength and curse my_ _g_ _reatest_ _failing: willpower. It seems to glue you up just fine. I guess Dad didn't leave enough room for that next to good marks._

_And now, I sometimes wish for a calming eternity, for my soul to exhaust itself-_

His mom left a line through the last sentence.

_Damnit._

_Sorry. I don't have too much paper, and I only have restricted access to pens, the jerks. Not much room for perfection here._

"Ma..." Akira uttered out.

Morgana's ears drooped. "...Sorry. You know, you can pace it out if it-"

"No...It's not that long anyway." He continued:

_You should be more important, I'm just being self-indulgent now. From changing your diapers to dealing with your poor sleeping habits, I can say that you are indeed my son._

_The best parts of me._

Akira swiped his damp eyes.  _Just...a few more lines._

_I've done all that I can in regards to that._

_But soon, whether you like it or not, you'll have to be responsible for someone's wellbeing. At the end, I hope that when you're somewhere out there in the world...you'll get rid of whatever bad things I left behind (at the very least, find someone to help you with that, like I'm doing)._

_And in place, you'll find something, or someone else, to fill the missing space._

_And, knowing you, you'll probably do it with the most exquisite golden lacquer._

_Take care of yourself._

_The Ray of Light on the Shore,_

_Asahi Amamiya_

_P.S. Seriously, at the very least get into the top 10. Pretty please. Your uncle mentioned it was probably around midterm time, and I won't let that stand._

_I'll kill you if you don't._

Akira gave a damp chuckle and sniffled.

He put the note in his back pocket, feeling the urge to spring forward from the concrete he sat on, knowing now that at least one parent didn't hold a grudge.

"You doing ok?" Morgana said.

"...Yeah. I think I am. I just wish...there were a return address."

He checked the time, the thought that perhaps he could stop by Takemi's for a bit in his mind.

It was fleeting, though. Prepping, and cleaning his dirty ass room once and for all, felt better to him at the moment.

But in the meantime, Akira knew for sure one thing, something that he derived from the deluge of Amamiya wisdom, and from the tugs on his heart:

Father Society liked to add more to everyone's lists of problems.

And that made him angry.

A righteous 'angry' that makes a person demolish the World as he or she knows it, and creates another one.

 _A better one,_ he hoped.

 

* * *

Ryuji and Ann were still silent when reached Shiho's room in the ICU, the rhythmic beeping of the monitors filling the silence.

Shiho was awake by a sliver as thin as the opening in her eyes. "H-hey...my two favorite people are here. Together in the same room."

Ann nodded. "He finally showed up, didn't he?"

Ryuji straddled his head. "Y-yeah..."

Ann then moved over to her side. "So...how you're doing..."

Shiho smiled weakly. "Just fine. The medicine helps." She then held her dispenser. "They even let me dispense it, believe it or not. Though, it's not much." She then grunted, tensing up from an unfathomable pain. "Like I said, not too much." She then upped the dosage.

Ryuji at this point looked at the floor instead of Shiho, in a faraway corner. "You sure we came at a right time, Ann? She doesn't seem up to it."

"She's awake now."

Shiho made an extra effort to smile. "Don't be...too...hard on him. He's just..."

Ann sighed. "Fine."

Shiho continued. "So Ryuji, I hope you're doing ok. It's been a while since you have talked."

"Yeah...it has. I've been busy."

 _Yeah...busy,_  she thought to himself.  _Busy not letting me in._

"Ann, do you remember the last time we were at Enoshima Park?" Shiho said.

"Uhh...yeah I think."

"Such a quiet, peaceful place. That time we rented out a boat for a ride on the lake...you remember that, don't you Ryuji?"

Ryuji looked apologetic. "I rather not. I don't think I'll ever suggest to Ann again she should row."

Ann blushed. "Hey, I wasn't that bad of a rower, damnit!"

Ryuji smirked. "You were."

Shiho eked out a laugh.

The three reminisced a long while before Shiho drifted back into a deep sleep due to a cocktail of fatigue and opiates. Ann in the meantime hovered over Shiho, still anxious.

Ryuji decided to walk over to Ann's side.

Ann retracted herself and looked over to Ryuji. "I just wish she could have been awake for longer." Her phone buzzed again. The same app with the red-eye icon kept making the phone vibrate. "Sorry, I keep on getting this weird phone app on my computer after I try trashing it."

Ryuji then had an "OH SHIT" look on his face. "Well, l-looks like you should get a new phone then."

Ann sighed. "But my parents got this one Christmas time. Such a waste." She then turned off her phone. "Sorry...it was stupid anyway to bring it up."

Her eyes were drawn once again to Shiho.

"She'll be fine," Ryuji said. "Give her some space."

"You think...we'll be alright, though?"

"...We?"

Ann bit her lip and darted her eyes away from Ryuji. "The more I think about Shiho, the more I can't get that bastard Kamoshida out of my head. I mean, Shiho still trying to fight for her life here. I can't just expect her to tell on Kamoshida if anyone even wanted to listen to her at school. I want..I want to destroy him. I want to erase everyone's he touched. Otherwise...I feel like things won't return back to normal for all of us."

"Ann..." Ryuji scratched his hair anxiously hand and paced around, tempted to say the most immediate thing to calm her down. "Just keep your head low for the week."

Ann raised her eyebrows. "I knew it. You were planning something."

"Shit, no, I mean...GAH!"

"I didn't expect you to blab your secret plan that easily."

"I didn't say there was a secret plan! Why you gotta put words in my mouth?"

"I don't. It's on your spazzy face."

Ryuji snarled. "You should stay away from me."

"What, like before what you were doing? That doesn't work now. If you're doing something, you're including me in the plan."

"Nuh-uh. No way."

"Asshole."

Ryuji groaned. "You're so annoying."

"Screw you! She's my friend! I tried to protect Shiho by hanging out with Kamoshida. She'd threatened the worst for her, and I..." she then choked on her words.

Ryuji darted his eyes, tempted to call Ann out for her appeasement like before. His guilt though stopped him. "I'm doing this to protect you."

Ann was hot-red. "I DON'T NEED SAVING!"

Ryuji growled. "Of course you do! I say so! Do you know why I got so pissed off when you tried hanging out with Kamoshida? I literally spent the entire last year, separating myself from the track team, Shiho-" he pointed a finger at Ann-"you! Just so, if Kamoshida wanted to be an effin' prick, he'd do it to me instead of all of you."

"Ryuji..." Ann felt guilty. "...You could have done something about it."

"...I know. But I'm not a planning guy. I mean, the only thing to my name was just track. Not great at school, and I suck at home. Heck, I can't even cook well enough to give my mom a break on Mother's Day. I just...I just wanted everyone to be alright, that's all. I'm...such a meathead, and I can't change that. But at the very least...I can do that."

She smiled sadly. "...You are indeed a meathead."

"Just...don't follow me. If things go bad...nevermind."

A flash of thunder punched through the room.

"Shit! I forgot an umbrella! I gotta outrun the rain!" Ryuji then went off sprinting.

"Goddamnit...RYUJI! YOU IDIOT! YOUR UMBRELLA'S HERE!" She rushed out to the hallway, holding it.

"Keep it! I'll outrun the rain!"

"That's not how..." Ann then looked at Ryuji's umbrella and smiled, blushing a bit. "Idiot. Shielding me? You need me at this rate." She then stared at Shiho. "I guess I'll have to stalk Ryuji and that Akira kid at this rate."

* * *

Just to be sure, Akira popped up in front of TMC. He saw the neon-red sign saying "Closed," but he took a swing at the door to make sure. The door handle wouldn't budge. "Tomorrow, maybe. It was getting late anyway."

As he strolled down the path of incandescent lights, another thought sprouted in his mind.  _Crap...my room is still a mess. I'm gonna need to clear as much stuff as I can if I'm going to complete my 'piece de resistance,' after another stock-up trip to Iwai._

LeBlanc was now in his view.  _Still open for me. I could use some coffee if I'm going to stay up a bit, tinkering._

He opened the door to find his friendly neighborhood doctor at the bar, sipping coffee with an umbrella next to her stool.

"Absolutely delicious," she said softly, lapping the dribbles on the rim of her glass. "Good as always."

Sojiro seemed satisfied with the answer. "The beans are from Jamaica this time."

"Coffee interferes with sleep you know," Akira interjected.

Tae gave a glare, one that conveyed the anger of being lectured over medical decisions by a sassy brat teenager.

"Don't be rude, boy," Sojiro said. "Forgive me, he's a bit rough around the edges."

"I know," Tae said, still frowning. Her stoicism seeped back in. "What brings you here?"

"I live here."

She raised an eyebrow. "Here? What a coincidence." She turned to Sojiro. "Don't like to share?"

"Not enough space," he responded.

"...Right," Akira responded. "Keeping an exotic animal in the extra room at your place down the road?"

"None of your business," Sojiro snappily replied. His temper softened quickly, however, as he had a fresh cup filtered for the boy. "Drink it now. Don't be shy."

Akira stared at it for a while. "I didn't even ask for one, though."

"A certain nagging in my ear told me you need a mother's comfort tonight. This here was...well...when I let a special lady slip away. Something about her leaving made me come up with the flavor profile here to help with that. Jamaican beans...and a little 'touch.'"

"Uncle likes to blab, doesn't he?" Akira said with slightly less tension in his face. He then took a sip. As he implied, it was like a warm hug. It was a thick brew, coating the inside of his mouth.  _Strong too. I'll definitely be up for a while._

_I don't need a hug though. I just need...to fix. Everything. Not MY "everything." The "everything."_

It also helped his more sardonic thoughts flow out smoother. "Special, eh? I've been reminded as of late that I keep on losing the women around me."  _Two...turned to three now?_ Tae meanwhile kept sipping her coffee. "I should probably stop doing that."

Sojiro sighed.  _Sounds like mopey to me._  "You're too young to be sounding like me."

"I didn't know a bit of time in a cell made you get older."

"C'mon, you're just a kid. Punk or not, that's no way to live your life so bitterly. Believe me, I know."

"Saying that from experience again, o wise sage?"

"Take me seriously, just this once. I know about-"

"I tried to take you seriously for the past week. Which is why I ask this: why then do I get the feeling you're so numb, and you just don't do anything about it to correct it? Like you're asking me to stare at you and say that you're a voice worth listening to?"

Tae couldn't help but be alarmed by his rudeness. Especially to a rather pleasant host like Sojiro.

"What you need a hug?" he said defensively. "You had the coffee for that. Don't get bitter now, like the brew I served."

Akira chortled. "Oh, bitter? At the very least, bitter implies there's some fire in you left."

"What the hell does that mean?"

Akira let loose his grievances.

"Do you know what keeps me up at night? The thought that, when all of this here is over, and I go back home, I'm going to turn as lifeless and exhausted as you, someone who'll tell himself that bitter is like the taste of coffee. Hell, I already felt like I treaded that stream since I came to Tokyo, at one point or another. I'm just so sick of it, assuming my heart needs soothing. It doesn't. It needs to be angry because otherwise, I won't make a dent in anything. School wants me to be docile like you. The police want me to be caged, like you. Hell, even my idiot dad wants me to be in the service industry like you. Only it's with cars. I don't WANT that. This fucking path laid out for me...the one YOU'RE showing me with your wrinkles, your little cubby hole, and your inability to update your fashion. All the while there are more people like me, getting screwed over."

"...Get real. The world doesn't work like that. You think that way, all gung-ho like you are now, you only going to get destroyed by it."

"Is that why you placed this coffee shop in the ass end of western Tokyo, instead of somewhere people could appreciate coffee and curry? By all means, if you prefer just to run away, then make shit coffee and curry. Then nobody will come to you, and you'll be happy and alone. But you don't. You still cling to the wish that things would be different; it's in your attitude, your inability to upgrade your fashion sense. But wishing things to be different, by making great coffee for anyone barely coming in and complaining about; and by drinking a quarter of your little whiskey bottle on the shelf every week, perked up by whoever is calling you on the other end of the flip phone amounts to nothing. If you don't do what you know in your heart needs to be done...you're not living."

Sojiro couldn't form any words.

"But by all means, even if you throw me out of here, I SWEAR I'm at the very least going to do something, And I'll do it to keep me...and other people from being the person you are now."

Akira for a second feared being dragged by the hair with his box of stuff in his hand.

Instead, Sojiro looked lifeless, unable to speak.

Sojiro, then grabbed his fedora. He exhaled heavily. "...You're the harshest of the Amamiyas for sure. It's sad; You're right. Now...I'm going to go before I actually do kick you out." He grabbed his jacket and left LeBlanc without a word, ambling out of the door like a zombie.

Akira then took a deep breath, now aware of what he had done. "Sorry. It was nice coffee." He turned to his left to see Tae, with a slightly stunned look on his face.

Being stared at, she switched back to a bored smirk. "You need to say something?"

"If you couldn't read between the lines. That medicine...the answer's yes. You'll get your test subject."

"Good. Tomorrow then-"

"Aah, but hold on."

Takemi frowned. "That medicine is already worth a small car if big pharma sold it as name-brand. That isn't enough for you?"

"Look...I know it's probably too much to ask." He balled his hands in his pockets. "Add whatever stipulations you want. On top of the medicine, I need you to find someone. Someone who doesn't want to be found yet."

"Why would I be able to help with that?" Tae replied, her arms crossed out of skepticism. "People who don't want to be found have a reason why," she added, glaring with intent.

"...She's...being treated in a mental institution. This person...I just want to know where she is. I'll just be fine knowing where she is for the time being. When it's the right time, I'd like to thank her in person. I'll put that on my list of things to make right..."

This was the first time Akira saw Tae dart her eyes down in sentiment. "I can't guarantee anything. If you haven't heard, I'm called the Plague. I'm ostracized from the Japanese health community. Plus...I don't deal directly with mental institutions."

"It's a small favor. It would make things easier at this point."

She sighed. "...No extra stipulations. Just be a good test subject next time you walk into my clinic." She then began to walk off.

"...Just like that?"

"Just like that." She then opened the door midway before stopping. "This person wouldn't by chance be an immediate relative?"

"That's correct."

"...Sorry; the way you were yelling...made me wonder if you shouldn't get checked out. Make sure it doesn't run in the family."

Akira narrowed his eyes. "Just take solace in the fact that if I'm a nut...then I'm a nut with a case. Have a good night. I'll lock the door behind you."

She returned his response with a small smile and a nod. "Have fun working off the caffeine."

As promised, he locked the door behind her as she opened her umbrella and strolled outside.  _Just in time, too; it's starting to rain quite hard._

He then let Morgana out of the bag. "Sometimes, I think you are your worst enemy."

"I know. But...I need to be true to myself. All the parts of me. Else I'll just...snap again." His eyes dimmed. "So does good ol' Soji." He then went upstairs and began to clear up the rest of the cluster around the bookshelf under the blue tarp. "The kid that believes in good and evil and superhero capes; and the bitter teenager that gets angry enough to do something. I'm starting to believe being both is going to keep Kamoshidas and anything worse from ever coming into existence...and turn Presidents into righteous Queens."

"Wait...are you implying you're taking back what you said at the infirmary about just stealing Kamoshida's Heart?"

"I'm saying Uncle, even though he's awkward with aphorisms, is right. Kind of. I have to think long term. Not like 'helping you with Mementos' long-term, or like 'seeing my Mom again;' both are nice and dandy. The type that forces the world to be good when others force it to be not. That type of vigilance. So yeah, you're kind of right."

Morgana pouted. "What are you talking about? I'm always right."

He then smiled. "Plus...there's always something. In people like her. Prez. In all of us... I have to believe in it, that there's something worth protecting. Otherwise, there isn't any hope for Mom...for Makoto...for me. Even Sojiro. Like I said. Sort of right."

Morgana smiled. "And here I thought I was going to get to you. And let you still include "her" in your agenda, you hopeless romantic. Progress is progress, though; it's always exciting to see."

Akira cringed.  _Gee, this cat sounds like the Nose right now. Makes me think they were cut from the same cloth._

Morgana continued. "Still, we still have a gym teacher. No point in acting like a superhero yet."

"Meh. I consider myself more like a Holden."

"What the hell is a Holden?"

Akira smiled. "...It's from a book I read. A book my Sis showed me. It practically was her bible. Anyways...you're right. My plans only work if Kamoshida pans out well; definitely can't be using the power of the Other World if it kills whomever I steal from. But for now...the world gets fixed first with this pigsty I call a room."

In a few minutes, Akira, energetic from the coffee and moving quickly due to the fire lit under his ass, cleared out the tarp and the dumb fern planting it in place, and put Sojiro's remaining books where they belonged: behind a bag of coffee grinds.

After a good sweep of the floor, Akira took a small amount of pride in what he had accomplished. "I deserve a cold shower." A quick shower and a good shampooing later, he found himself in his lounge clothes, drying off his hair downstairs, about to turn off the lights and turn the sign around.

Then...she came under the light. The shops out in the street were all closed, so it was pitch black, and the outside light over LeBlanc's door cast her in sharp silhouettes. But, the hairband, white and glossy from the heavy rain outside, told him everything.

At this point, there wasn't any hesitation left in him. He walked calmly to the door and opened it, still drying his towel.  _She's just covering herself with her leather bag. I can't let her get soaked anymore at this rate._

He opened the door and motioned her to come in. He saw her staring at him, the rain dripping from her hair, around her reddish-brown eyes, and down the blades of her face.

_Sharp like trimmed glass._

She then let herself in, holding her bag with two hands in a humbled position. "Thanks for letting me in. I-"

"I'll get a towel. We...can talk later."

He was to turn around when she gently grabbed held his waist to keep him from moving.

"... I know I'm being selfish. I'm not expecting much." She gave the faintest squeeze. "I...rather stay here tonight."

Akira, about to take Makoto's arms off of his waist, locked halfway. His hands, he decided, were to stay on hers. "I...wouldn't mind. I'll...figure out the details in a bit."

Makoto began to settle into his back. "Would your guardian mind much?"

"No," Akira said, pivoting around. He then steadied his eyes on her. "He won't mind it."  _It doesn't matter at this point._   _I'm not letting you back out there in the rain. Not when the trains have stopped for tonight._ "Just tell me what's happening while you're drying your head."

* * *

Outside down the street was a man dressed in a dark tracksuit holding an umbrella and wearing black aviators.

"So, you go the bad boys, eh? Stupid bitch," he said, groin throbbing.

He walked over a few blocks to where he parked his white sedan. "Kobayakawa might think I'm being paranoid. But he's wrong. They're working together, I know it; that punk's address is here." He then had the sharpest pain and everything he saw turned purple and faded.  _Not this again...ever since that stupid whore jumped off the rooftop, I keep seeing things I shouldn't. Castles, knights..._ Kamoshida gritted his teeth. "It keeps on flashing in front of me in the middle of the GODDAMN day."

He took a deep breath. "I just need a break. It's just stress. It's been a while since I've been to Akihabara. It's late enough. I'll work off my frustrations enough. Junya can hook me up." He grimaced further, the pain in his crotch morphing into a twisting of the gut. "Shujin right now is all I have...it's too important. I'll get my time in the spotlight." The pain seeped into his face. "...I need to."

* * *

"Drink," Akira said, handing a cup of coffee to Makoto, who had a towel wrapped around her neck. "You look cold." He then left only the backlights on in the shop.

She sat herself in on one of the benches. "...Thanks." She then dumped in the insides of her belongings on the counter she was at: five thick notebooks, a history textbook on the Jomon period, and a dirty Buchimaru case. "I need to air out my bag." She looked at her belongings. "Still rather dry. It'll air up. I was worried for a moment. Some of these notes are from last year of all places." She then turned dour. "...I'm being foolish again. I should have looked at the weather forecast today before going out today."

Akira sighed. "You really are too hard on yourself, you know that? So...you slapped the shit out of your drunken sister, eh?" Akira said, his voice reflecting the situation's gravity. "That's...impressive?"

"Akira!"

"...Sorry. I have a bad habit of joking around in tense situations." He then had a hangdog look on him, playing with a loose curl hanging over his eyes. "And well...holding things in."

Makoto sighed. "I could tell. Though...I guess I'm guilty of the same thing." She then moved over in her seat. "You mind sitting with me?"

He smiled softly. "I'll oblige." He planted himself next to her.

"...It was quite terrible, seeing my sister like that. It's funny; I looked up to her ever since Dad died. Part of me thought she was the closest thing to him, considering she acted like him. Mom died when I was quite young. For me, was just a distant memory compared to Sae; she's six years ahead of me, after all." She then sunk her head. " And her hatred...acting as if Dad cursed her from the grave...I guess all of it...it's too soon for Sae."

"Guess not." He cleared his throat.

"I'm just sad that I wasn't in tune to it later. I...don't want to become like what she is now. Maybe...I could have gotten her the help she needed. I can't..."

"For the record...I think, for what she was saying, she needed that slap back to reality."

"You think so?"

Akira nodded. "Take my word for it. In your position, I would have done the same thing. That, or drag her back home myself. Anything to save someone I loved from the brink of madness, I would have done it."

"It's just...a bewildering experience to see, seeing how past trauma makes people act so...dramatically."

"Not to me. Stuff like that sticks to you. Make you do...drastic things."

She turned her head, getting the sense that Akira included himself in that statement. "You don't mean...like up on the roof?"

Akira was now sealed shut.

She reached out to hold his hand. "Sorry. You don't have to say it. I was just extrapolating."

He squeezed tighter back, bracing himself. "No. I'll try. I...don't want to explode like last time...not with you." He took a deep breath. "My life has had some pretty absurd turns." A pause. Then: "When...my sister...got murdered by a serial killer...well, you can say that's where I got my outlook on things from. My lack of belief in rules and such. It hurt even more since the chief in my town, the guy supposed to spearhead the investigation, could have seen it a mile away. He twiddled his fingers." He turned slowly to meet her eyes, fearing a bit she would look upon him with fright. "So...up on the roof...I guess that was me still taking the death of a female too personally."

An ordinarily demure Makoto couldn't help but wince in the face of such events. "That's awful...though...if you don't mind, that still doesn't explain what happened with your mother."

Akira took another deep breath. "I just...I look back on it, and some details, even then, didn't surprise me. I already had the expectation to be screwed over by the police." He laughed uncomfortably. "I feel so bad. I must sound like an asshole, shitting on the police like this. That 'foolish' person you keep talking about is your Dad I bet?"

She smiled sadly. "Your intuition is on point. Please, though, continue if you want."

"Alright, then. So...there's was a guy I saw, heading back home from cram school. I wasn't a big fan; I was the type of person who'd prefer to study in my room through the night. Then, out on the street comes a bald guy in orange glasses. Drunk out of his mind. He's harassing a lady, telling her to get in his car and shut up. I could already read between the lines."

"That's distressing..."

"So I tried stopping him. Not like how I would have done it when I was younger; growing up a bit made me timider; I tried to pull him off of her instead of...something else. He stumbles and hits his head, giving him a facial scar. He threatens to sue me and yells the girl he's trying to assault into testifying  _for_ him. It works. She doesn't testify. He even flexes his status to order the responding cops to drag me to the station and charge me for assault."

She looked visibly upset. "...And that's how you got here."

"And that's how I got here. The way he boomed at her...it wasn't surprising to me at the time. And my parents...being an only child...affects your decision-making." Akira suddenly felt tired. "I'll stop here."

"That's...insane. To have that happen to you...it's understandable you'd hate a lot of things. "

"I won't lie that I harbor...a dislike for certain aspects of authority as they are," he said regretfully.

"...Does that include me?" she said, leaning forward towards him. "I wouldn't blame you. Back there...I was tone deaf. Not in tune with...what people were dealing with as I should have. You included. I was only concerned about winning...kind of like my sister, based on what today showed."

A quick pause, as she bowed herself further towards the booth cushions.

"I forgot that authority is supposed to protect the weak. Like...how Dad would have said. At least...I hope he would have said such a thing."

Akira sighed heavily and gently raise Makoto by the chin. "Look...I don't hate you. I just...I took it personally. That's all. I'm sorry." He then laid his head on the vertical cushioning, meeting Makoto's focused glare. "I just..." He started to give the sheepiest of grins. "I just like seeing the Makoto that's goal-oriented and cares for other people, that's all. Maybe...you're starting to make me feel...invested in that side of you."  _God, you're so lame, Renren..._

Makoto turned red and yet leaned even closer to him. "O-oh? W-well, I-I'm not so sure how to feel about that..." she said while smiling bashfully.

A large boom came from overhead. After that, the power went out. Akira stood still, but Makoto shuddered and grabbed his arm.

"Uhh...Makoto?"

"Uh, i-it's nothing! I-it's not like I-I dislike the dark. I-I just..."

 _...So cute._  "It's ok. This is coming from someone who imagined himself as a ghost haunting the wicked when he was 10. Whatever you think it's weird or silly...I've probably topped it."

Whatever tremor was in her voice was now in her arms.

"Umm...are you going to be ok?"

"...I know this going to sound weird...but can I pet your hair?"

"...Huh?"

"Umm...this is really embarrassing. But I have a Buchimaru plush at home. A big one that I hug when it gets really dark...a-and...y-your messy hair look like Buchi-kun's fur."

"...Buchi-kun?"

"I know, it's stupid, a-and-"

"Chill. Just...pet my head."  _...Well, I didn't see this coming._  He laid back into Makoto. "At...your service, your Majesty?"

"You're not helping! Ok then..." She dug her hands into his hair, and to her surprise, it felt just like the aforementioned plush.  _...Maybe even better._

Akira, patronized as he was, couldn't deny how good it felt for Prez to hold him by her chest, to hear the pitter-patter of her heart drift into his ears.

To feel physically tethered to the world.

He then realized it was getting late. "Uhh hey...I just realized you need to sleep. I...only have one bed."

She was struck with a faint sense of panic. "Uhh...I'm just going to sleep down here, if you don't mind."

"Uh, that's actually for the best. The futon upstairs is not the best. It's just someplace to lay my back on."

She reminded herself of how dark it was in LeBlanc. "You know...I don't think the power's going to come on anytime soon."

"Probably isn't."

She rankled. "Just...stay here a while. P-please? I...always imagine someone is following me at times like this. I even thought I heard steps on the way to here. It's probably nothing; it's just my mind playing tricks on me."

"...Ok."

A few minutes later, the shaking in her arms calmed slightly, enough for Makoto to speak again calmly.

"...You know, you never told me why you call yourself Ren? I think you said it the first time you met...but I had a feeling you were lying."

"...You're right. My mom wanted to name me that. My dad, though, decided on Akira since it sounded manlier. I preferred Ren myself."

Makoto smiled. "You know, I just think I might call you that at this rate."

Akira dimmed his eyes. "No 'Renren' please. I cringe."

Makoto giggled. "I'll try not to."

A few minutes of silence passed.

"Sorry...but the thought's still on my mind. There's still all of these things on the agenda still. I haven't really thought of anything else we could do about Kamoshida and the principal."

"Well...it has been an eventful couple of days. President duties don't help, I assume."

"...I know. In particular, the Newspaper Club President has been cited for harassing students and..." She had an epiphany. "...faculty...including Kobayakawa..."

"Sounds like you have some inkling of a plan in your hands."

"I guess..."

"You know, I can't see you in the dark, but I have a feeling you're hesitant."

"It's risky. I can only guarantee Kobayakawa is held accountable to any degree. And.."

She then laid her left hand on Akira's breastbone, sending a chill up Akira's spine.

"What if I end up hurting you again due to a mistake I make? What if I...slip up again?"

He grasped the cold hand on his breastplate and looked up at her. "I won't let that happen. I promise you."

She hugged him tighter. "...Thank you."  _For you, Akira...I'll create a system that'll be the justice you seek._

_That I seek._

Akira grinned.  _A roll of the die, it seems. And perhaps another convoluted plan. And yet...I'm still going to try._  "What shall we try, then?"

She opened her phone and started texting a certain 'lackey' the following:

"Come tomorrow by the Council Room. It's time you started to help for a change."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well guys, it feels good to be posting again. I hope, for those reading, that I've rewarded your patience.
> 
> And...eh. I know Makoto Nijima Week is still up. I did have some stuff planned for it...but honestly, I got so much into this chapter, I got sidetracked. We'll see if I'm up to posting some late submission(s).
> 
> Anyways, the final chapter (and all its parts) are coming next. Hopefully within a week (unless something comes up in my life that screws up my schedule again.) Otherwise, two weeks.
> 
> Stay tuned!


	17. Arc I Finale: Heart(s) Stolen, I

4/20

The rain from last night continued to barrage the windows of LeBlanc at sunrise.

For Makoto, the drone that it made in her inner ear was starting to become sharp, like a nail being lightly tapped on her eardrums by a rubber mallet.

She opened her eyelids slowly, seeing only the color of washed-out mahogany. The sensation of cheap leather then crept in.  _I'm surprised I was able to sleep in these circumstances_ , she thought as her arms started to loosen up.

Then, the smell of burnt coffee beans tickled her nostrils.

She looked down to find a fluffy-haired smartass on her chest.

"...Well, morning," Ren quipped.

Then, she remembered what happened last night and turned red-faced, burying her face in her hands, vainly hope she didn't expose too much of her quirks. "...Did we fall asleep while..."

"...Yep. After planning, you wouldn't let go," he said, the "go" accompanied by a self-satisfied smirk. "Best sleep I've had in a while, despite the trembling."

He looked over to find her things dry on the booth desk. He looked at her pen pouch.  _Buchi-kun, eh? I'm surprised she holds on to that. I don't think you can really get that type of merch anywhere now._  Then, her wallet.  _Her wallet's open though. ID's showing too...wait, 4/23. That's close..._

Makoto in the meanwhile was still in her bubble of embarrassment. "...N-now you're just making fun of me," she replied, wilting even further. "I don't appreciate it..."

"Well then." He launched himself up, jaunting upwards to the attic. "I'm going to get something up my room quick, and then I'll brew something up."

"O-ok then," she said, attempting to piece back together some small amount of composure. "I'll just...go over some calculus...right."

Ren creakily made his way upwards, full of nervous energy he was willing to release through muttering.

Up in the attic, Akira took a deep breath now that he was out of sight. "...Fuck, that was close. The way she was positioned, she couldn't have gotten up to snoop around here."

Upon his desk was a workbench full of tools he brought from his Dad's workshop, electrical components from the very depths of his cluttered backpack, and chemical conspicuously labeled "Property of Shujin Academy." He then went to work shoving said material into his desk.

"You're right," Morgana said grouchily, balled up on the futon. "It WAS close. Also, thanks to you, I couldn't get good enough sleep by laying on you. 'Your Majesty's' hips fused to your backside isn't a good surface to lie on."

He grinned, tittering between the spaces of his teeth. "Another reason why I should sleep with her more often."

"Jackass. At the very least, I eavesdropped late at night. I understand, that given what I've seen and heard about your shitty school, your back is against the wall. But last time I checked, plans contingent on hope are not legitimate plans."

"Indeed, it's a wager," Ren said, shoving in components hurriedly into his work desk. "More so than before. Our little heist, though, will help. I imagine if Kamoshida's Castle serves as a signal of his mental state, then he's running scared, and Kobayakawa, the suck-up he is, won't like that. We frustrate Kobayakawa on the side, and top it with the Kamoshida and the Card-"

Morgana rankled slightly. "What! Hold on a minute. Do you any idea what a Calling Card does to someone?"

"Nope. But I bet it'll be ringing his subconscious bells. Shouldn't it work for us, if we want to bait them?"

"Maybe, but we've already been messing with his mind so much. You said it yourself; he's running scared. Infiltrating the same dungeon multiple times does that. And sending that Card means his distorted desires will run on overdrive. And I'll bet, if you're not careful, you'll take the worst of it. IF you pull it off."

"What, is he going to beat the shit out of me at school? I'll be careful."

"...So you say. But are you willing to put her-"

Ren, holding his gutted solenoid, heard creaks up the stairs.

 _Shit. I have to lead her away; rather not let her get too curious._ "Uh..." Ren then stared at Morgana for the longest time. "She did say she liked Buchimaru after all...you seem furry enough."

"...You wouldn't even-:

Ren grabbed Morgana by the scruff. "Play cutesy cat."

"SONUVABITCH!" Morgana yelled. "I swear, you are the worst!"

Makoto peeked her head over the rickety stairs. "Sorry to intrude. You were making a lot of noise, so I wandered up here to see what was going on."

He walked down, towering over Makoto on the upper steps while holding Morgana nuzzled in his arms. "It's this little guy's feeding time."

"A...cat?" she said, eyeing it curiously. She then narrowed her eyes. "A cat...you found at school, perhaps?"

"Sharp. He needed a home, and well...I didn't want him stealing more bread."

She sighed in frustration. "Wonderful."

Her judgment though fizzled away. "...Are cats' bellies soft like others say?"

"What, you never had cats when you were growing up?"

"...Only just a goldfish."

"Ouch. Ok then." He held Morgana out towards her. "You try holding him."

She reached out a hand.

"My belly is not soft!" Morgana yowled.

Only hearing violent meows, Makoto recoiled back.

"Don't be shy. If he hurts you, he won't be fed,"

Morgana's ears flopped as he opened his belly, his stomach grumbling the whole time he was kowtowing.

Makoto then took the cat off of him and cradled it, unsure what her 'investigation' would lead her to next. She raised her hand towards the cat's belly and traced her fingers through the white striations in its fur. "So silky... though it doesn't have the coarse feel of Buchi-kun."

"...The real thing is always better though," Morgana grumbled. "What sort of sad, sheltered girl prefers the fake version over the real version?!"

Ren shielded his mouth to hide his failing attempt to hold back laughter. He then remembered coffee was on the menu. "Anyway...the usual then."

"Uhh, is that..." Makoto then pointed at the solenoid Ren held in his hand.

"This thing here? Piece of junk."  _To you, maybe. I'd doubt Prez would-_

Makoto directed an extremely eager, wide-eyed look directed towards his solenoid. "Kanzaki...model?" she uttered out, her voice wavering in a nostalgic excitement.

 _...Holy shit. She might. "_ For bikes, yeah...you read about that stuff?"

"...W-well...a little. We have a bike back at home. Old one. Starter's out. I was just curious..."

"Well yeah, technically. Core's gutted though, so it's not going to run any moto motors anytime soon."  _The coils, on the other hand..._

"Shame," Makoto remarked. "I was hoping to be able to ride that motorbike one of these days. I suppose I could have found another one if I tried, but..."

"School?"

"...Yeah."

Ren smiled back assuringly. "One day, Makoto, one day." He then shoved his veiled memento into his pocket. "Now, the usual. AGAIN."

He drudged in the back of the kitchen to prepare.  _Keep it simple and straightforward. No need to get fancy._

He began to wash his hands when he opened his mouth. "Hey...you doing alright? Yesterday was..."

Makoto, was now at the bar with her notes. "...I'm still doing ok."

The tension in her fingers as she turned the pages, however, said otherwise.  _I was rather upset though_ _...that doesn't usually happen._

She looked at Ren's backside for the longest time in a quasi-hypnotic trance.

_All of this...doesn't happen to me._

_I mean, what reference do I go on, with this?_

It was enough to make her afraid.  _Was I...thinking clearly...when I did what I did?_

 _"..._ I'm spending too much in the pages of books at this rate," she muttered breathlessly.

Ren was slightly away, focused on the coffee filter placed in front of her.  _I'm getting the hang of this,_ he mused.

He then looked up at Makoto, her head tilted all the way on the knuckles of her fists, and her eyes staring steadily and aimlessly.

He noticed, and it led to an awkward pause. But after a while, Ren decided that seeing her paralyzed in thought was a more painful proposition.

"You know...it's ok. I think."

"Eh?" Makoto said, breaking her daze.

_Last night..._

The sweat was starting to pool on the back of his night. "It was a rough day for both of us. And we were just, uh...overwhelmed. We don't have to talk right now. Let's eat and get ready, ok?"

She paused for a bit and nodded.

Akira smiled in relief. "Good."

The steam of the filter drifted up to his face and condensed on his skin.

His glasses now slightly wet, the thought came to him.

A mortifying one, considering he'd tried to focus her mind on other things.

"I just realized I only have one umbrella on me."

* * *

"...Why do I feel like you're enjoying this opportunity too much at my expense?"

"Just relax, Makoto. It's an umbrella. It's all just a matter of aesthetics."  _To be fair, I'm saying that since I'm used to being stared at quite a bit already._

The pair were already at Aoyama, the rain still as relenting as before, and even now, students passing by were wondering curiously why the infamous delinquent of Shujin was escorting the Student Council President under an umbrella.

Makoto herself was aflutter over the aesthetics of umbrellas. "Sorry, I'm being silly," she stammered. "Childish even. I-I just watch too many movies, that's all."

Ren smiled in earnest back. "Just pretend I'm not here."

"Can't...you smell like strong coffee."  _Pleasantly strong coffee._

Ren chuckled. "I'll get noseplugs next time."

Makoto returned his kind suggestion with a slap on the arm, the resulting soreness a reminder to Ren of how deceptively "eager" she could be when prompted.

"Also, is bringing him along to school necessary? I'm assuming it's a he."

"My guardian still has a business to run. And some people don't appreciate pets in restaurants."

She squeezed the bridge of her nose in defeat. "I swear, though, if I hear any more complaints..."

"You won't, o Fair and Generous Maiden."

"Your banter is torture to hear," Morgana muttered.

Ren then reminded Morgana the virtue of silence with a quick jab to his bag.

A brief pause.

"You know," Makoto said. "About the plan...if it doesn't pan out..."

"Still thinking about it, eh?"

He looked over to find Makoto staring down at the puddles on the ground. He then panned to her wavy reflection off the water, revealing the anxiety creeping under her eyes.

She then looked up towards him, her head tilted aside. "You'll still be around at LeBlanc, right?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean...if it doesn't work...

Ren only knew what was said before: get expelled, and you're thrown out. _But in front of her? That answer won't cut it._ "Of course. Don't worry about it."

By the steps was Kamoshida, pacing erratically. In expectation of a bitch in hairbraids and a curly-haired piece of trash. And booming at any student who bothered to look at him.

"...That's what I feared," Morgana then said. "I can hear him from over there. What you're hearing and seeing is textbook, Renren, when you go poking into Palaces deep enough."

The duo observed from a distance.

Morgana's words, in Akira's mind, started to sink in.

Hard.

"There a back way to the school?"

Makoto pointed to a small gate that passed through a small garden out front. "I have a spare key for that over there. Seeing Kamoshida over there, and, well, seeing US, I rather not draw a wide spectrum of scrutiny."

"Agreed."

The two sneaked through a hedge of bushes and flowers, being trimmed by an orange, poofy-haired girl in a Shujin tracksuit who was hoodied, with pricked fingers, too focused on shaping hedges with a pair of shears to look at anything else.

"Seriously, that lady should be inside already," Akira noted.

"Sorry. Okumura-san can be quite the horticulturist. Let's not linger. Once we get inside, we'll meet at lunchtime, ok?"

"Ok. Just watch yourself. Kamoshida seems...off if you couldn't tell."

"I'll try. I wouldn't imagine him being stupid enough to try and assault me."

"Hey, Akira!" a boorish voice cried, getting ever closer.

Ren's heart skipped.  _Goddamnit, Ryuji._

"So hey, about the Pal...ace?" Ryuji then noticed the two of them together.

"Palace?" Makoto wondered. "Is that supposed to be literal?"

"Right! The palace on the eighth level! I'll tell you later about how I beat it!" Akira then put an arm around Ryuji and began to corral him away. "Well, see you later then!" he said, waving at Makoto and giving her his best attempt at a neutral smile.

Makoto walked away, tempted to wave it off due to more pressing matters. And yet, that blonde-haired student seemed familiar.

That latent thought kept gnawing at her brain as she walked away. The "Nijima Itch."

Meanwhile, Akira and Ryuji rounded the corner and outside to the courtyard before Ryuji decided to talk again.

"Shit, sorry. I didn't even know you were trying to hook up with someone."

"No, I'm was NOT 'hooking up.'," Akira said, rubbing the back of his neck. "We just...were walking together and she didn't have an umbrella, that's all."

Ryuji sported a giddy grin. "Sure, you sly dog," he said, jabbing at Akira's ribcage playfully. "Bro code, dude. Between us."

"...Sure." Akira said sighing. "Sorry, busy day last night after eating over at your place. Should have told you earlier over the phone, but we have an update to the plan."

"Update?"

"We're taking down the Principal too."

"Seriously?! When we haven't taken down Kamoshida yet?"

"Yeah well, I don't have much of a choice. You were right; the Principal and Kamoshida are trying to get me expelled."

"WHAT?! Why didn't you tell me this before!?"

Akira grunted. "...'Cause I was focused on other things. You had your Mother's Day; I didn't want to make it awkward by just raring you up."

"Well yeah but...shit. What now then?"

"That girl you're talking to before is the 'now then.' She has a plan for Kobayakawa, and I'm hoping that everything pulls through and I won't have to get sacked. But we need to make sure everything goes well in the Castle."

"Wait, does she..." He leaned in forward a bit, lowering her voice. "...Does she know about...over there?"

"No, she doesn't know," Akira said intently. "And I intend to keep it that way, RYUJI."

"...Right, sorry. Wait, though, isn't that asking for her to find out?" Ryuji said guiltily. "I mean, women are scary."

"For once, I kind of agree with Ryuji," Morgana said through a space in Akira's bag zipper. "But...this guy here is in a serious bind. I can't fault him for this plan. Even if it's a long shot that assumes A LOT about people."

"Well, do I need to do anything different?" Ryuji said exasperatedly.

"Not really. Just need your head down more," Akira ordered. "You see Kamoshida today?"

"Yeah. He's pissed. I haven't seen him losing his shit like that in...ever."

"Apparently, according to my furry lecturer here, it's from poking at his Castle. When we release the Card, it'll be worse. Keep that in mind."

"Shit..." Ryuji darted his eyes. "That's a problem. I...Ann...she might know we're doing something. If she gets too close..."

Akira slammed the palms of his hands into his head. "Great. Just great. What, is she going to blab to someone? Is that your concern?"

"No, but she's stubborn. She'll be dogging us for sure. How am I supposed to explain Castles to her? To anyone, for that matter?"

"Fine. I get it."  _But still...this might unravel pretty quickly. I might have to call it._  "Look, just...tomorrow then."

"Tomorrow?! Holy shit, isn't that kind of fast?"

Morgana's words still haunting him, Akira saw time as a luxury he didn't have. For now, a calm Ryuji was more valuable. "We'll be fine. After school, in the alleyway. At the very least, believing in Castles requires suspending one's belief quite a bit, so we have that buffer if anyone like Ann keeps snooping. Just watch out until then, that's all. Look around every corner. Stuff like that."

"Don't worry," Ryuji said, smiling and giving two thumbs up. "I got it. Well, see you later then?"

"We'll talk over the phone. Keep your distance."

"WAIT! Lemme me make the card then!"

"Ryuji..."

"I gotta stick it to Kamoshida somehow!"

Akira groaned. "Have fun. Don't use your handwriting!"

"Don't worry! I got the perfect idea for this!" Ryuji said, fist-pumping in the air.

Ryuji and Akira split up afterward.

A distance away:

Ann kept her hoodie down, and her ears open..

"Castles? These boys are weird for sure. But still...Student Council?" she scowled. "Someone apparently likes padding their college application with stunts like these rather than acting sooner. I'd be surprised if they did anything at all at this rate."

* * *

 _Time for lunch_.

_Or, so the establishment would prefer me to treat now as._ _For me though..._

_It's always story time._

The President and sole member of the Newspaper Club hovered by the Student Council Room, hoping fortuitous whisper to come through the door crack, a whisper that belonged on  _her_ newspaper.  _The school can claim as much as they want; it's mine._

_MINE. I made it, I own it._

_My "special talent." My thrill of the day._

_No amount of dressing up like my ditzy self outside school is going to give me the rush like this._

"Takao-san?"

She heard the sound of a wimpy, downtrodden first year approaching her.

"Yuuki Mishima. Why did you call me here? I thought you said you had something to reveal about Kamoshida?"

"...W-well," Mishima mumbled. "Sort of."

"...Sort of? 'Sort of' doesn't work as a testimony!"

"...Follow me in..." he said somewhat dejectedly.

"Follow you in, there? For all I know, this is just a trap by the Establishment."

Mishima then opened the door to show Makoto and the infamous transfer student sitting at the hastily arranged desks in the middle of the room.

Takao-san turned her head, wondering how the pieces in front of her fit.  _These guys? I never imagined they, of all people, would be here in the same room. Though...actually, the rumors I heard today DO make me less surprised, now that I think about it..._ "Fine. Make it quick."

Mishima ushered in the aspiring journalist and closed the door behind them.

"Takao-san," Makoto said. "Please take a seat."

"Whatever." She sat in front of the two, who were sitting side by side, while Mishima stayed in his corner of the room.

"So, Takao-san, how are you doing? I hope your club duties aren't interfering with school."

Takao groaned. "Jeez, what am I doing here? Are you going to chew me out? I know the Principal gets annoyed when I ask about school issues, but c'mon. Sicking out his lapdog? That's low even for him."

"...Well, to be frank, this is under Kobayakawa's nose. And after it ends, I'd like to keep it that way."

Takao smirked. "You afraid he won't write you your rec? Isn't that why he sicced you onto the transfer student over there?"

Makoto looked somewhat surprised.

Takao relished her shock. "I hear quite a bit. Though I will say, he probably just did it to show the Establishment isn't an incompetent mess."

Makoto dimmed her eyes in light of her guest's insolence. "Relax. I believe we're trying to accomplish similar goals."

"In what way?"

It was Ren's turn to speak. "Word from the grapevine is that you're snooping around Kobayakawa's office. Particularly after, well, the Suzui incident."

"Perhaps. I should ask why the delinquent student cares...though I won't, considering I've already heard what you TRIED to do." She smiled. "Quite the daredevil. How's the head?"

"...Fine. Smartass."

Takao smirked. "Either way...I'll bite. What does Ms. Robot here have in store for our Rollie-Pollie Principal?"

Makoto considered for a brief moment raring back her open hands after the 'Ms. Robot' comment, and connecting them with her face. "By the sounds of it, I doubt you have a conclusive story against him. I want you to pretend you do."

"...What do you mean?"

"What I mean, is that you probably already know about the allegations, if you're willing to snoop."

"Well, you're right about one thing," Takao responded, arms crossed while looking down. "I do know about the allegation, but people don't like to talk about these guys. Doesn't allow me to comb through the juicy stuff and make masterpieces, 'truth in print.'"

"Your experience with interviewing sounds about right," Akira briefly added.

She then mischievously grinned. "I get, though, at the very least, a kick at poking at the eyes of the Establishment. Which is why I haven't gotten bored yet looking at these guys."

 _Establishment. Jeez, the hot air in this girl._ "I suppose then you don't get your fix by pretending you have a story?" Akira wondered sardonically.

"Fleshed-out stories? Of course. My drug of choice. Other than crack cocaine."

"You take crack cocaine outside of school!?" Makoto boomed.

"Pfft. Miss Pres-i-dent. Please. Don't write me off as some crack whore."

"...Sorry. I come from a family of cops," Makoto replied. "I guess I'm hardwired like that to take claims of drug usage seriously."

"No wonder you're so straight-laced. But going back to Umbrella Boy over there, he's right. I'm not so enthused by the fact you want me to post speculation around the school."

"Umbrella boy?" Makoto said bashfully. "Nevermind. The point here is that if you do, there's the chance you'll get the conclusive evidence you need."

 _Would you look at her face? One of the few rumors that might hold up, and it's this. More ammo against people like her for later._ _Though..._ "Still not convinced." She then pointed at Mishima. "Why is he here, of all people? He's on the team, he should have just blabbed to me rather than go through the hoops here with this plan"

Makoto looked calm, but seeing Mishima flared her up, part of her wishing she'd slap him more. Still, she kept to principle. "He would be in a 'compromising situation.' The 'Establishment,' as you call it, would make this person's life as uncomfortable as possible, if they haven't already." She then glanced sympathetically for the briefest moment at Ren. "I don't want that."

Ren cued himself in. "He's also good at leaking information when told to. I'll vouch for that."

Mishima winced in the corner upon hearing that.

Makoto continued. "That's being said, under Kamoshida, he's done some horrible things. But...despite that, he's a student. And I'm the President. And in spite of what you believe, I believe that people aren't a means to an end, but part of the end itself. Kamoshida and the Principal, I know now, would never care to do that. And well...I've had someone to help push me away from that."

Akira couldn't keep himself but beam bashfully away from Makoto's line of sight.

Takao started to yawn at such a long-winded motivation for a not-so-straightforward plan. She then noticed Makoto's Buchimaru pen pouch and smiled.  _Hmm...interesting. I'm piqued._

"Now you can help us to craft a plan to hold them accountable and make way for something positive, or-"

She then noticed Makoto's dirty Buchimaru pen pouch and smiled.  _That's rich_ _. I'm piqued now._ "I'm in."

"...Really? You seemed reluctant just now."

Takao shrugged. "Girls are just complicated, you know." She then got up from her chair. "Numbers, then. You can fill me in later."

Akira jumped back in. "Don't be too hasty. If we ask you to pretend you have a story, whatever deliverables we ask of you should be made within two days. You think you're up for that?"

"Don't worry. I can do it. If my aunt can write articles plastered in some bar in Shinjuku, so can I."

Makoto looked embarrassed for her. "That's...an interesting way of looking at things." Makoto then gave Takao-san's number.

"Takao-san..."

"For god's sake, Makoto. Call me Eiko. My last name sounds weird."

"...Eiko. I appreciate you for cooperating with us. Please be careful."

"Just make sure the drek I send your way is useful. I'll use an alias, but it's unlikely that'll help."

"Probably won't," Akira deadpanned.

Eiko grinned toothily. "Just worry about escorting your girlfriend back home, Umbrella Boy. The rain ain't going to let down anytime soon."

Makoto, next to Ren, fidgeted slightly away. "Not. dating."

'Either way, my mouth's shut about you two. Toodles!" She then walked away.

"I can only hope she can deliver in time. I'm fine with the first stages of the plan starting tomorrow, but I fear you didn't give her too much room."

Akira though grimaced. ... _Slipshod doesn't even begin to describe what I just heard_ _._ "We'll just have to hope, then." He then looked at Mishima, still sullen in the corner. "Mishima, I hope you know what to do?"

"...I still don't understand why I should be helping here."

"Because  _she_  insisted, despite her original impulses, to have you try and stand up for something," Ren said sternly. "I added the details. Better than torturing yourself all your life, wouldn't you say?"

"I...it doesn't feel right, considering what I did."

Akira sighed heavily and hotly through his nostrils, internally flagellating himself faced with such a pitiful expression on Mishima's face. "Then perhaps you'll learn not to run away from doing good. Maybe then you can look at yourself in the mirror."

Mishima sighed. "I...just...fine. I owe it..to Suzui-san. How, though, did you finger me?"

"I am curious myself, too," Makoto asked.

Akira shrugged. "A King in a Castle told me?"

"...Really?" Mishima said.

 _Well, time to wing it._ "I actually just guessed. Prez already fingered you to be included in the plan. I, added a few details to the text she sent to bait you."

"...And I took it like a sucker."

Makoto chimed in. "Focus. We don't have much time. You need to make sure to spread the narrative we have penned. Leak it the best way you know how."

He stared at Akira. "You sure about this? These details don't leave room for imagination."

Ren grinned mischievously, akin to his younger self. "I'm counting on it."

* * *

"This is unacceptable, Kamoshida-san!" Kobayakawa said to Kamoshida. "I told you not to follow them! Drawing attention to the school outside school hours is not how we get through this Suzui matter!"

"These kids will be the end of Shujin at this rate! Everything we've worked for, everything that I'VE worked for, will be gone thanks to these kids."

"Ridiculous," the Principal uttered. "You forget that these guys are still teenagers. Dumb, emotional, irrational teenagers."

"THEY'RE MONSTERS POKING AT MY BRAIN!" Kamoshida cried, short of breath and veins popping from under his veins.

"Kamoshida, please hear me out. Do you understand why people listen to us? Why people listen to Shujin?"

Kamoshida panted heavily. "Because we excel."

"Because we appear to excel. Because we strive for it. Respect and power require vigilance. And when we have vigilance, we survive. The people above me understand this well. And I will do my best to emulate it here at Shujin."

"Well apologies, Kobayakawa, but we aren't going to have that if the Suzui business blows in our face."

Kobayakawa sighed. "Well, perhaps you can appear to be composed for the time being? Remember why you're here."

"Right," Kamoshida grunted out. "It's just, people should see who runs this school...that's all. Who helps to keep this place running."

"Indeed." Despite that, Kobayakawa simmered at Kamoshida's perception of things. "Please control yourself."

Kamoshida continued to groan like a wounded gorilla as he trotted out of Kobayakawa's office, the following words flashing in his head, over and over again, strobing with every pulse on the brain:

_I deserve what I want._

Kobayakawa took a deep breath. His collar was starting to get damp.

He took a quick glance under the table to take a black, rotary phone and place it on his desk.

His sausage fingers hovered over the wheel. "Should I? It would be quick."

A brief pause.

He then retracted his finger, grunting angrily. "Damnit. Why do they have to be so picky? I wouldn't even know at this rate on whom to sick the Janitor. The transfer student...Nijima...or Kamoshida."


	18. Arc I Finale: Heart(s) Stolen, II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A hero from the past comes again.
> 
> This time, remixed.

"A rainy day," Sojiro muttered, behind LeBlanc's counter. "You'd think customers would come flooding in to warm themselves up."

In truth, there were more customers than usual, but for Sojiro, the downtimes between felt longer. "Feels like I'm passing a kidney stone, waiting for him," Sojiro muttered, hazily looking at a slow-cooking, chocolate-brown curry bubbling up carrots. "...Stupid kid."

He then took a stray spoon to taste. It was warm, tasty, the cocoa coating the back part of his tongue. "Cradle for the soul," he said, slightly relaxed. "A tried and true thing. The kid would benefit from tried and true things. You can't screw that up." He then sighed, with a newfound disappointment. "As expected." He then tossed his spoon in the sink. "But then...you'd get the same thing. You'd never get anything...different."

He pulled out his phone.  _Maybe...I can call him another time._

"Then again..." he smacked his lips. "...I don't usually call men on this phone."

His face became more steely. "Screw it." He put away his phone. "I know the answer already."

He sighed heavily as he leaned on the counter, looking out towards the wet windows the same way a fish peers out of a fishbowl.  _A goddamn prison, huh?_ "Maybe I'm just too used to the same thing."

* * *

"You sure about this, Ren?" she said, out with Akira at the back entrance they came from earlier in the morning.

"It's fine. I need to do some last minute stuff in Shibuya anyway."

"Ok." She blushed again, though not as intensely as before.  _This is not good for my heart._   _Blasted_  umbrellas... She stepped back under Ren's umbrella. "It's not too far away from Central."

By this time, the walkways were now a line of basins mirroring the skyline, distorted only by the pair's footsteps.

"Hey, Ren."

"Yeah?"

"...You're not dragging anyone other than what we've specifically outlined, are you?"

Ren kept on walking, trying not to be startled. "What do you mean?"

"...You seemed familiar with that blond kid. I remember now that was Sakamoto-kun. The person you were truant with."

"What about him?"

"I hope...he isn't leading you into something problematic."

_Shit. Shit. Don't go poking in._

His eyes narrowed in a slight anguish.

 _...Please._ "What, more than what I signed up for?"

"...I didn't mean that kind of trouble."

"He's just a friend. That's all. He's just loud...and not the brightest."

"...So I've heard," she said, recalling his yelling on steps.

He forced his hands into his pocket and steadied himself. "Other than that, he's a nice guy. He invited me over yesterday for Mother's Day."

"Invited you over?"

"His home situation isn't the best. He just wanted me along for Mother's Day. We ate, we talked, we played some games. One involving knights and castles and such, if you can believe it. That's all." He straddled the back of his head out of self-consciousness. "I guess I'm the only guy friend he's had for a while."

She sighed. "And vice versa I fear, given your reputation."

"Well, when there's a will, there's a way I guess," he replied, feigning a smile. "Better than nothing, considering what Mishima did."

"Damn Mishima...a part of me still feels like we let him off easy."

Akira grunted. "I suppose we have, in a way. The more you look at it, though, the more you realize he'll be a convict of his conscience. A conscience that'll probably need lots of therapy and soul-searching."

"I suppose so. Though I can't lie that there's another part of me that prefers a less 'abstract' idea of punishment. But...I guess that doesn't change the cause." Her mind then went back to the previous question. "'So, uh, 'only guy friend,' huh?" she said, playing with a loose strand of hair down her neck.  _Am I...his only "girl" friend, then?_  She blushed nervously at the fleeting thought. "He wouldn't happen to be this supposed 'friend' you were doing a favor for at the beginning? I remember from Kawakami he had some issues with Kamoshida in the past."

 _Damnit. I got to shut her down quick._ "Look, he's not going to do anything. It's been a year. If he was going to do anything to Kamoshida, he could have done it then."

"Fine. I'll trust you on this, then. Though...it would be regrettable if you were wrong. For your sake." She paused. "Video games..." she then said inquisitively, only to turn sad afterward. I guess that's what normal students do outside of school then."

"Normal? C'mon, there's something you have to do other than studying. It's only natural."

"W-well...I do watch movies and read books from time to time. But those times where I can are far and between now."

"What type?"

"Umm...anything?"

Akira smirked. "Are you just being modest?"

"I'm serious. I...well..." Her face became more flushed, from pinkish to rosy red. "I like...a-action movies with slow-motion shootouts...a-and post-apocalyptic films with bikes and chains and flames and..."

Akira chuckled. "Ok, I get it, you're a movie buff." He then paused a bit; something earnest was stuck in his throat. "Maybe...we can..."

"What?"

He bit his tongue. "Nothing."  _I'm getting distracted. Though..._ "To be fair, I am a fan of martial art films myself."

"O-oh, like "Like A Dragon," or 'Chop Foo Young?'" she said with creeping intensity.

Akira gave a hearty laugh. "Pretty much."

"Y-your parents let you watch that type of violent, pugilistic entertainment!?"

He now had a sheepish grin. "...I didn't say my parents did. My sister did though. We'd sneak out and pretend we were helping over at our Uncle's place. Uncle had our back; he covered for us, believing that such movies weren't going to turn us into homicidal maniacs."

Makoto giggled slightly. "Well, looks like you had some fun when you were growing up. Unfortunately, I don't have that type of experience under my belt. My dad and Sis didn't care too much when I was growing up. They prefer though I study more, and that grew to be a bigger portion of my time as that went on."

"And mom?"

"Can't say. I was too young to remember fully. Plus, she was a quiet lady. Dad said she'd like to talk with whatever face she made instead. I guess that makes it hard as a kid to discern what she thought of things."

"You miss her much?"

"...Occasionally," she said, keeping a measured appearance. "Occasional regret, but there are other things going on that demand more of my attention." She paused. "Ren, pardon me if I ask a bit of a rude question. How did you feel, when your Sis died?"

He stood still, scratching the side of his head while his ideas settled. "Well...I guess for me, I started out by bottling things in. In the past, it was worse. I never tried to think about these things. I regret doing that. You just lose touch of your human side that way, getting locked up in your room, thinking it's your fault, all the time, that your loved one is gone and that you've let them down." His eyes darted down. "My uncle, the traditional coot he is, suggested praying to altars. I still do, from time to time. Pretending she hears me when I light my incense helps. Lately, though, it seems like the best way to get past that is to honor their memory in whatever they do. I guess...kind of like with your Dad, I assume."

Her heart sunk. "It makes sense. For me, though, it leaves me this question: what if, like the other adults, my Dad left some of his baggage on her daughters? I don't think I can really answer that question. I haven't really thought of it before, and, because I'm having such a hard time with it, it frustrates me even more."

"Makoto..." He then took a step closer. "That's something I don't really think about." He then stared steadily into her eyes, smiling. "But I'll try. I guess, for me, rather than asking that question, I go back to what my mom said recently. To sum up, we are all just the sum of different things we come across. All we can do is just...do right with we have, and adjust as time goes on." He shrugged. "In the end, you just have to believe in your ability to change, I guess."

"...Change, huh?" She sighed in relief. "Learning new things is a joy in it itself, after all."

A few minutes later, the two found themselves in front of a regular-looking apartment building. They shielded themselves for the time being under its concrete awning.

"Well, this is it," she said, her voice slightly shaky.

"You nervous? She messaged you at all yesterday, after that stuff at the cemetery?"

"N-no...I don't even know she's alright, to tell you the truth. I assume she is. She's, well, a competent drunk. Even though she's not the clearest-sounding drunk."

"She'll be fine. If not, she'd be detained and cited. They'd let her go this morning if they had to."

"You're right," she said, her pained look loosening only by a bit. Her nervous stuttering came back. "You know, maybe if things don't work out with Sis, I suppose I can always sleep on LeBlanc's cushions from n-now on."

"I'll make sure to get a night light if you do."

"Not funny!" She then punched him playfully, forgetting again how hard and how surgical she can hit.

In a matter of seconds, Ren found himself slightly hunched over, the wind knocked out of him.  _Solar plexus...and square on it. Goddamnit, Prez._

She clasped her mouth in shock, her voice now rapid-firing. "I'msorryimsorryIgettoointense!"

"It's ok. It's endearing." He coughed for a few seconds, then stared in her eyes, beaming. "Honest." "Now, it'll be alright. Get going."

She nodded back. She took a few steps forwards towards the apartment door but darted back for one final, reassuring look from his obsidian eyes. "I'll text you later about what happens. Well...good luck. And well, thanks. For everything."

"You can say that when you're helping me study for midterms, starting after tomorrow."

She forced out a laugh. "I guess I'll have to, after what I just did. See you later, then."

"See you later...Queen." He turned around to walk back to Central.  _...I hope._

Morgana peeked out slowly. "Is this umbrella big enough? Am I...going to get wet?"

"Not unless I get a water bottle and pour it over your head."

Morgana sighed. "You know, I remember what you said the other night. And, well, after what happened, you gonna be alright?"

"What you mean?"

"I mean, well, her. She's sharp enough to start making connections. It's only a matter of time. You think she'd be ok with your plans, if you take this further?"

He exhaled through his nostrils, long and slowly, wanting not to think more about what Morgana said. "Still worried I'll flake?"

"Please," Morgana pressed. "I don't think so. Though after hearing how you are with her, I'm just worried to be worried. That Prez situation would be tough to handle. Don't tell me how I know. I know how it feels."

"...I'll be ok. Maybe. You think when we get to that Doomsday scenario, and if I think I'm wrong, could I pet you to feel better?"

"...You can't be ser-"

Akira darted his eyes upwards at the clouds, hoping to clear his mind.

Morgana sighed. "It's like watching an impending car crash. Fine. Just for that time, Akira. Don't overdo it, though, when you do."

Akira smiled. "Thanks, Morgana."

"You're welcome. I'm not a cat though. Remember that."

 _If it mewls like a cat...Oh, whatever._ "...I know, Mona. I know."

* * *

"The Skorpion today?" Iwai said.

"Yep," Akira replied.

"You're really getting into this."

"Seller's remorse?"

"Please. Money is money."

Akira zipped his submachine gun into his backpack. "You think I qualify for that premium?"

"Heh. Not a chance. You're still getting peashooters in comparison to what I have in the back."

Akira chuckled. "What, you barter on the side?"

Iwai's smirk showed Akira his lurking opportunist.

"Fine, I'll get some junk next time, I'll hock it off so you can get your hustle."

"Smart kid. Though I'm smarter by selling the stuff at a higher price."

Akira remembered the date, 4/23. "Hey...this is going to sound stupid."

"Probably will be."

 _Would he...eh, maybe?_ "I've heard of this Akihabara place?"

"Techie wonderland. Also, maid cafes." He then glared from his magazine. "Don't be the loser that picks the second one."

"I won't, jeez. I just wondering...I'm heading there either way. Would there be a chance they sell discontinued children's items?"

* * *

"Ow, these transistors are poking into my side," Morgana yelled from the bag. "Even with your last-minute gift padding me from them."

"What, you don't like needles?" Akira replied, a bandage on his arm from a quick stop to Takemi's, quid pro quo. "I got jabbed with needles today. It's fine."

"C'mon, YOU'RE NOT FUNNY! HURRY UP!"

"Brat. Just hold on, we're walking into LeBlanc. I'll dump this stuff upstairs."

Akira appeared out front of LeBlanc. He was able to open the handle when he froze for a brief moment. He was still aware of his little vent yesterday and braced himself for a china saucer to the face when he opened the door.

He cleared his throat one last time and took a quick breath.

He turned the knob and pushed forward. Sojiro was behind the counter, polishing off one of his cups. He took a brief glance, and his eyes steadied. "Good. You're back," he said casually. "Turn over the sign."

"But...it's still light out," Akira replied, teetering between confusion and anticipation.

"Yeah...well...we need to talk."

 _Oh boy..._ "Lemme drop this, upstairs quick, before you chew me out."

"Right..."

Akira dropped his duffel bag of materials under his bed for the meantime.  _Can't be too careful, after all._

"You think he's actually going to kick you out?" Morgana whispered.

"No clue," Akira said, despairing slightly. "I just hope his not yelling at me is a good sign. Just relax in the meantime."

He trotted down, imagining the cup in Sojiro's hands flying towards his face instead of the saucer on the counter.

Reaching the ground floor, he saw Sojiro empty-handed, breathing a small sigh of relief. "What is it, then?"

Sojiro then walked from behind the counter with an apron balled up in his hand. "Put this on. I want you to do something." He then saw Akira's face, contorted from bewilderment. "What is it?"

"Nothing. I'm just surprised you aren't strangling me now."

"I can strangle you if you want. I'll do the next best thing." He held out the apron. "Now, put it on, end of discussion."

He put on the apron, keeping an eye on the old barista. "Look...about yesterday..."

"Later. Now...make me a cup of coffee."

"...Seriously?"

Sojiro nodded. "Your own type of coffee."

Akira then scanned the rows of coffee containers for the longest time. "My own?"

"Beans, temp, stew time. Try your hand at it."

Akira squinted his eyes at Sojiro for a moment. "Fine...though it's your tastebuds."

"Don't make it crap."

 _...He's probably going to complain regardless. Best I go for something that I think is good._ _I suppose the Blue Mountain was good the last time._ He reached for the top of the shelf to get them. He then saw a brand from Guatemala.  _Maybe...mix?_

"School's ok?" Sojiro said calmly.

"...Alright. I drone out most of the time. My reputation precedes me, it seems."

Sojiro sighed. "Not just the teachers, eh? And on top of whatever you have?" Sojiro blew a cold jet of pity from her mouth. "You aren't being loud, at the very least?"

Akira smiled nervously. "...Not last-night loud."

Sojiro grunted.

"Ok, ok, I'll answer seriously. No, not really." He scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "I  _try_ not to. It's just...a lot of crap to take that's all. Just has to come out at some point."

"Yeah. Well, you'd be surprised how much crap people can take before snapping."

"Tell me about it."  _Now, the coffee filter._ He only made coffee using standard filters. Under the barstools, however, he noticed a glass cup with a plunger on top.  _I think I've seen this before. French press, I think? I guess I'll try..._ He grabbed the plunger-looking thing.

"At the very least, you're making my life easier by giving me nothing that I have to your report probation officer. I have to report to him twice a month, and he's nosy and wastes time."

"He reminds you of my record?"

"All the damn time. It's only a couple of preliminary meetings, but I'm already annoyed."

"My condolences then."

"You really do flip-flop, don't you? Now, today, you decide to act all repentant?"

Akira shrugged. "I guess I'm conditional like that."

"...Or a punk teenager." Sojiro darted his eye down, imagining his inner self. "Like all punk teenagers, last time I remembered."

Akira now walked back to get some water simmering. "You were one of those punk teenagers, it seems like."

"Which is why I say being a pure idiot is not the best route to go."

Akira furrowed his brows. "I'm not stupid, you know."

He rubbed his brow, trying to think of better words to say. "Stupid? I guess not. Foolish maybe."

"How is that any better?"

"I guess you're an informed idiot. Though, that just makes you dangerous. Take it from someone who has seen more than you so far."

Akira shrugged as he pulled away the simmering water to pour into the French press. "Perhaps, the world needs more fools."

Sojiro sighed again, heavier this time as Akira pressed down the plunger. "Stubborn. You really don't want a normal life again? He leaned forward on the counter. "You know, being loud isn't going to reverse that."

"I know."

"...And even after everything...your Mom said...what your Uncle said...you don't want something less...turbulent? You don't get tired getting treated like a pain in the ass?"

"It's nice to belong." Akira paused as he set out the saucers and tilted the press to pour. "I guess, though, the more I think about it, the more I realize I'm not a creature that craves convenience."

"...So it seems," he said solemnly. "At the very least, can I ask you a favor?"

"What is it?"

"Whatever foolish thing you plan on doing...you own up to it. Just don't drag anyone into it, if you're smart as you sound."

Akira froze for a brief moment. "...You know, if you felt convinced I'm doing something stupid, you should try your best to stop me."

The bags under Sojiro's eyes were crinkled. "Yeah well...your little verbal 'crucible' last night told me I ain't got the energy nor the time to do that. But you...you still have that." He held out his arms openly. "Which is why I am going to let you do...whatever you please."

Akira cocked his head, staring confusedly at Sojiro. "I thought giving me that spare key of yours meant that already."

"Consider this a formal declaration. I should have made it clearer that that key was for letting you close up without me. In the back of my mind, I still expected you to come back when I was around. That your little lady friend would calm you down enough not to do anything adventurous, rather than...well, 'adventurous.' Now, you decide when you come back. I won't wait for you. I won't excuse straight up dumb, hooligan shit like crimes, but the rest is fair play."

"...Are you sure? I mean, I didn't have a need for it, but..."

"I mean it. Nobody needs to get dragged down by idiots like you. Your uncle would probably approve anyway, enabling son of a bitch."

Akira couldn't help but clear his throat in an attempt to make way for something to say.  _Maybe something a little bit more agreeable..._

Sojiro then smiled, giving Akira a wicked case of emotional whiplash.

Akira then slowly began to understand that, despite his veil of anger, Sojiro was at ease, as if he was letting go of a weight off his shoulders.

Sojiro opened his mouth again. "At the very least, let me tell you how to make a damn good cup of coffee. Show you the ropes."

"You mean, be actual part-time help?" Akira said slowly and warily. "What are you actually getting at?"

Sojiro raised his cup and tried the frizzy-haired boy's brew. A small sip and his tongue felt a blast of smooth acidity.  _The punk's almost got it...but..._  "A bit bland. Good for your first time." He then took a deep breath. "What I'm getting it is that I don't have the energy for taking this operation to the next step. There was a time where I had that dream. But, life got in the way." His voice got deeper, his tempo. "I...had a daughter, and I hoped I would show her the ropes so that, once she grew up, she would take over the shop. That didn't work out too. Life got in the way. Before I even tried."

"What happened?"

Sojiro shrugged. "I don't know."

A part of Akira felt like pressing through the vagueness. But seeing Sojiro's disappointment kept him silent and lending an ear.

"You're not pressing," Sojiro continued. "That's good. You should do that more often instead of talking. It goes a long way in my field of work."

"Seems like you're just pigeonholing me."

"Well, just make the coffee for yourself at least. You wanna sip it on the street, back at home, or in a shop of your own. At least you'll have options." His eyes dimmed. "You think I can at least try? You wouldn't even be on the schedule. Just...give me the chance I didn't take."

"...Ok. I'll let you try." Akira felt like looking away. "Look, I wanted to study for midterms if you don't mind. I hope I won't be making coffee into the night."

"First, try what you made."

Akira finally took a sip of his coffee, while Sojiro lectured more. "Good ingredients, slightly bland profile. Blends are always tricky the first time. You just have to experiment a bit with the ratio. The French press was a good choice."

Akira felt guilty, after receiving the faintest of praise. "Sorry about yesterday."

Sojiro smirked. "Well, it's like I said the first time you came here. I didn't necessarily say you were guilty of assault. I said you got sent here because you're a pain in the ass."

And so, Akira smiled back, not at a warden, but at someone lending a watchful eye. "Maybe...I'll make a few more cups, then. To get the balance right."

* * *

"...My throat hurts," Sae groaned, lying flat on the couch ensconced in a couple of blankets.

"Your fault," Makoto said, sitting next to her and staring at her in consternation.

Sae smiled weakly as she grabbed her cup. "I guess the sick day was needed then." She then looked at the notebook laid on the coffee table in the living room.

Makoto saw it too. "That looks like..."

"Dad's."

Makoto looked down at her sister sadly. "A bit rude to head into my room."

"Sorry. I felt a bit nostalgic."

Sae then opened the notebook, still laid back down on the couch. "Dad's handwriting was always so terrible." She put it closer to her face.

"Suppose so."

Sae then yawned loudly. "God, I'm so pathetic."

"You probably should rest as much as you can." Makoto then felt guilty, about to say the next words. "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine."

Sae blew a lazy strand of hair in front of her left eye, her hangover still in full force. "Makoto?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry, Makoto. I made a fool of myself. I...make a fool of myself all the time, it feels like."

"Sis, I don't care anymore about yesterday. I-"

"No, not just that. The world goes to hell. On the verge of another recession, people are literally losing their minds, and here I am, holding on with booze. I'm just pathetic."

"I don't think before now, we were ever fine. I still don't. Drives me nuts. Look...I hope you don't take what I say too seriously. I-I don't mean it. It's just my anxiety getting the better of me. Ever since the funeral, I've haven't really seen done my best with that."

She felt, for once, a lie to her Sis was justified, even if she felt Sae should own up somewhat for her actions. "I don't." She paused. "We are Nijimas. Hot-blooded at heart." She then grabbed Sae's hand. "I'm just glad you told me. It's small, but it's an important step."

She turned Dad's pages, loosening up a bit. "I still can't believe Dad would read us the unredacted stuff from his notebook as a way of telling us stories. What a blockhead." She then shut the book, rubbing its leather cover back and forth, hoping her Dad would rub off on her again. "I know I'm coming back tomorrow, but..."

"You can't put it off forever, you know."

"I know, I just...springs?"

"Springs?" Makoto said, lighting up.

"I just...hot springs next week?"

"I-I...guess so?"

"Please?"

Makoto smiled. "Ok, Sis."

"The full spa treatment, too," Sae smirked, albeit twitchily from the tightness above her brows.

"That's not necessary. We don't need to overspend, you know."

"Makoto! It's final," she said sternly.

"Alright, alright." Makoto then waved some chocolates over Sae's head. "I'll share in the meantime."

"Makoto...are you...but, your dumb diet..."

Makoto shrugged. "All things in moderation are fine?"

"Whatever." Sae grabbed the chocolates. "If you feel too indulgent, don't worry. I'll eat most of the chocolates."

Makoto chuckled. "All fine by me."

"Good. But tomorrow...I'll be back to getting results." Sae then smiled, staring steadily at Makoto. "I have to win after all. By any means."

Makoto kept on smiling, happy that Sae looked ready to head back to fighting against, as her Dad called it, the 'corpus of evil.'

And yet...

There was a part of her. A fear she held on, knowing she slipped once before. The one she now could see Sae falling to easily. The fear of getting addicted to winning.

She put that in the back of her mind. She figured for now...

She would now relish the small victories. If not Sae's, then hers.

And she did indeed feel like sharing  _her_  victory.

* * *

Night had come, and Akira was hunkering over his workbench, eyes getting heavy. He reckoned for a small moment, he'd close his eyes for a brief second.

He closed his eyes. In a blink, he heard the voice of the more refined Velvet Twin.

"We are to visit you, as you drift in between, to ask you heed our master's advice."

"Listen to it well, inmate!" boomed the Bratty Twin in the other ear.

Justine leaned closer to his ear. "...Do not be afraid...to let go..."

Then, he felt a sharp pain traveling rounding his heart.

"OW, FUCKING HELL!" Akira cried in agony, having tried the lower settings of his new weapon with his unguarded hand. "Feels painful." He smirked. "Definitely working. Haven't lost my touch."  _Good thing, though. If it actually did tap my heart...hoo boy._

He continued to muse.  _In the past, I definitely used a garage style mentality with my signature weapon._

_An ignition coil with a solenoid to create some bulky taser sword? Inefficient. We live in an age of transistors, after all. And transistors are the easiest switches. Especially between my charging element and my coil._

He held up under the light a black rod, with a thick handle guard.  _Got to keep my charging caps protected when I switch to ground, after all. T_ _he solenoid turned transformer included. I suffer electrical isolation by jamming the two next to each other...but, tradeoffs? What can you do?_

He groaned as looked at its bulky handle.  _Still, having to daisy chain batteries at its end doesn't make it the most ergonomic of things._

He then touched the flexible wire surrounding the body of the baton, its end weighted and sealing the wire.  _The wire's_   _retractabl_ e _too. A nasty surprise awaits the Shadows tomorrow, for sure._ The last thought put him in a mischievous grin. "Morgana, you are indeed the Igor to my Frankenstein."

Morgana chuckled. "Please, it should be the other way around. So, you think everything will fit?"

"Should be fine."

His phone buzzed.

 **HER EXCELLENCY:** Sorry, I know it's late.

 **HER EXCELLENCY:** I...kind of preferred to speak to you over the phone

 **HER EXCELLENCY:** But Sis is asleep, so this will have to do.

 **HER EXCELLENCY:** I just wanted to let you know that you were right.

 **HER EXCELLENCY:** She got back ok.

 **HER EXCELLENCY:** We're slowly making things work

 **HER EXCELLENCY:** It'll be hard, but we'll make it through.

She paused.

 **HER EXCELLENCY:** Thanks for your support.

Ren smirked.

 **REN:** For you? Anytime.

Akira then groaned in frustration.  _Tempting, but..._

 **REN:** Sorry, but I wish we could talk more.

 **REN:**  I'm going to try and get some rest if you don't mind.

 **REN:** Sweet dreams :)

 **HER EXCELLENCY** : ...What's :) ?

 **REN:**...It's a smiley face.

 **HER EXCELLENCY** : Oh! I get it now. Sorry, I must look so silly.

 **HER EXCELLENCY** : Night!

"Dork." He then set down his phone, only to buzz again.

 **RYUJI:**  Hey, we got this Calling Card! We never talked about a group name!

 **RYUJI:** A band of thieves needs a name after all!

Another conversation popped up.

 **MISHIMA:**  Sorry to bother, but I just wanted to ask what you think you should be called.

Looking at the sword made him feel like a haunting was in order. A good ol' Phantom...to steal away desires.  _Or, at the very least, electrocute them to smolders._

He sent the same response to both. A mix of the old, and new.

* * *

4/21

All were brought to attention to the notice board, plastered with small, red cards with texts.

"A calling card..."

"I heard it was already posted by the time everyone got here this morning."

"...Are you kidding me?" Ann said, looking critically at the group of plastered calling cards. She ripped off one of the cards, the opposite showing a crudely drawn face with a red top hat, the words "'TAKE YOUR HEART" drawn in sharp lettering with permanent marker. She read its message out loud. "Sir Suguru Kamoshida, the utter bastard of lust. We know how shitty you are-'" She then groaned. "-and that you put your twisted desires on students that can't fight back. This will be done tomorrow, so we hope you'll be ready. From, the Phantom Thieves of Hearts."

She then heard more students, clamoring over what they saw on the phone:

"There's even a Phan-Site too!"

"Phan-Site? What a lame ass name! And just look! A polling bar asking 'Do you believe in the Phantom Thieves?' This has to be a prank. Has to be...

"There's all this crap about Kamoshida, and how Kobayakawa's covering up abuse too."

"Wait, are the rumors about those two true!?"

"What rumors are you talking about?"

"I dunno; that's what this article's been talking about here!"

"You read the School Newspaper?! Who does that!?"

She then heard a cocky voice behind her. One that was gratingly familiar.

"Pretty, cool, eh?" Ryuji beamed. "I looked up a bunch of similar things online for reference."

"And photochopped them together to get...this?" Akira said in disbelief.

"Amazing, huh?"

"...No," Akira deadpanned.

"Dude, it sounded like an idiot trying to be an adult," Ann said, walking behind Ryuji with her arms crossed. "Seriously, it feels like you just randomly looked up stuff in a thesaurus."

"Why can't you leave this alone, Ann?!" Ryuji cried.

Morgana popped out. "Sorry, but the Lady here is right about the Card. Plus, your logo was lacking."

"Lady Ann? What the..."

Akira kicked at Ryuji's leg to shut him up.

Ryuji remembered that humans don't talk to cats. "W-whatever, that ain't true. My card is genius!"

Ann groaned. "And the 'Phan-Site'? You guys...wow. Just...wow."

Akira's eyes dimmed. "You're just mad you're not on the plan. Sorry, but criticism, however valid it may be, isn't going to make us relent."

"What he said!" Ryuji yelled. "Wait, valid criticism?! You're still talking about me, aren't you?"

Ann's cheeks were hot-red. "I swear you guys...stop KEEPING ME-"

"WHO THE HELL DID THIS!" It was Kamoshida, now charging at the rapidly dispersing crowd and glaring at the notes. He then grabbed a newspaper off one of the students. He scanned it rapidly for a few seconds. The gist was clear to him, and he became apoplectic. He turned his bloodshot, bulging eyes on the three, Akira especially. Like a bull seeing red, he ran towards him.

Akira slipped his hand in his cramped bag, grabbing his baton in secret and preparing for the worst.

"...I'm SO going to enjoy dragging you out myself...with my hands around your neck..."

The air around Kamoshida became all purplish and staticky. His eyes also turned yellow, and Ann continued to stare off in the distance, frozen in time.

"And squeeze the life out of you...and  _HER, and MIshiMA, and, SAKAMOTO..._ "

"W-what the hell is going in," Ann quivered.

All of a sudden, in front of Akira and Ryuji, Kamoshida transformed into his Shadow Self.

"YOU COCKROACHES WANT MY HEART! COME AND GET IT!"

Everything then went back to normal, and Kamoshida stormed in the direction of the Principal's Office.

"What was Kamoshida even going on about?" Ann said. "About hearts?"

"Beats me," Akira replied. "But...I guess our plan isn't so stupid, after all. We got him scared."  _And, at this rate...we'll add Rollie Pollie to the list. Though..._

_How did she see that just now?_

"How is getting Kamoshida nervous-"

Akira carted off Ryuji. "Oops, sorry Ann gotta go! Kthnxbai!"

"THAT DOESN'T WORK IF WE'RE IN THE SAME HOMEROOM, YOU IDIOT!"

As Akira walked away with Ryuji, he pulled out his baton and shoved it into his coat to have it closer. The situation warranted it.

"Jeez, dude, why'd you bring that to campus?" Ryuji said, mouth agape. "That's overkill!"

"You brought a gun to campus unwittingly," he deflected. "We're even."

"A FAKE gun."

"Look, just, LISTEN TO ME!"

Ryuji listened, his eyes now attentive. "...Akira, you ok? You don't seem like the 'uncalm' type."

Akira growled. "No, I'm not...ok. Just stay on guard for now. Ok? The last thing I need on my conscience is you getting beaten beyond recognition because of airing out his emotional baggage."

Ryuji put a hand around Akira's back. "I think I get it," he said, smiling. "Kamoshida isn't going to get the jump on me. Don't go worrying to death about me." He then gave Akira's back a quick pat. "See you later then."

As Ryuji jetted towards his class, that lingering feeling of unease didn't fade.

He observed from a distance, reasonably sure of where Kamoshida was heading to next.

* * *

Kobayakawa wrapped up. "Thank you for coming in. In light of you coming in person to apologize for your behavior, and for disclosing information related to the transfer student, I'll waive the past complaints. But I warn you, Takao-san. Leave the students and me alone, or face a disciplinary hearing. I'm not going to repeat it."

"...Fine," Eiko pouted, playing with the zipper on her book bag. "I should be on my way then." After bowing, Eiko tripped forward, hitting her head. "Ouchie."

"Are you ok, Takao-san? That sounded like a nasty bump on the head."

She grabbed under Kobayakawa's desk, laying her palm flat under and holding it there for a few seconds. "I'm ok. Excuse me. Class is starting, and I wanted to pass biology." She scurried off, keeping her head down passing Kamoshida in the hallway.  _I hope Umbrella Boy and Prissyma appreciate this..._

It was good for her; Kamoshida at that point seethed at the thought of womankind bending their knees in front of him.  _Stupid Goody Two Shoes Nun of a Student Council President...this is all HER FAULT._

_SHE SHOULD HAVE KNOWN HER PLACE._

_SHE SHOULD HAVE STAYED QUIET, LIKE ALL WOMEN ARE GOOD FOR._

_SHE SHOULD WORSHIP ME._

_SHE SHOULD WORSHIP ME._

_SHESHOULDWORSHIPME_ _SHESHOULDWORSHIPME_ _SHESHOULDWORSHIPME_ _SHESHOULDWORSHIPME_ _SHESHOULDWORSHIPME_ _SHESHOULDWORSHIPME_ _SHESHOULDWORSHIPME_ _SHESHOULDWORSHIPME_ _SHESHOULDWORSHIPME_ _SHESHOULDWORSHIPME_ _SHESHOULDWORSHIPME_ _SHESHOULDWORSHIPME-_

_No..._

_She SHould...DIe._

He squeezed Kobayakawa's door handle, leaving indents as he turned it open.

He charged in, "WHAT IS THIS FILTH," Kamoshida yelled to Kobayakawa as he pointed to the newspapers scattered around the school. "Who signed off on this!? I thought that stupid FUCKING club had an editor for this!?"

"W-what is the meaning of this, Kamoshida-sensei!?"

"READ IT! READ IT and tell me who this reminds you of!"

Kobayakawa read it carefully despite being terribly startled. The writer, Eiko Takao, had kept things vague enough: No names, only a few details. But the details were damning:

A new student testifying about Kamoshida's alleged abuses, along with another first year, whose names were consciously kept anonymous "for journalistic integrity," as she called it.

How Kobayakawa, knowing about the student's efforts to put Kamoshida in line, made him conspire with Kamoshida to expel him.

The volleyball team's abuse, and one new member's role in leaking rumors about the whistleblowing student.

It didn't even matter to Kobayakawa if they were baseless. It was still an egg to the face. A rotten one. And Kamoshida felt convinced which two, black-haired, punk students were responsible for flinging it.  _Fuck It,_ _I'll throw in SakaAmotO tOO._

Kobayakawa simmered. "...Apparently, a disgruntled one. This would never pass otherwise." He crushed the paper in his hands, seething. "Takao will answer for this, for sure." His head then started to hurt. "Still, I just don't understand why she'd head into her and let on about Kurusu and assaulting adults off of campus, then, if she wasn't working together with him on this RIDICULOUS paper."

Kamoshida snarled. "Perhaps she was SETTING you up then for something." He darted around. "Where is she?"

"She...just left."

"WHAT!?"

"You didn't get here in time!" Kobayakawa blurted. He then became short of breath, as the gravity of a potential student conspiracy began to settle in. One whose plan of action still wasn't clear to the now slightly damp Principal. "This...I don't know what they're getting at, but it is troublesome indeed. I...I don't...I mean, it seems contained to the school. It's just a kid...We can...hold a meeting about Shiho, protect our image, create a layer of deniability, and-"

"MEETINGS!?" Kamoshida raged, hammering into Kobayakawa's desk repeatedly. "You think, after all of this SHIT, we need meetings?!"

"Kamoshida...Suguru, please..."

"DON'T YOU FUCKING SUGURU ME!"

Kobayakawa was lost for words.

"YOU, you FUCKED ME! AND YOU FUCKED EVERYTHING" Kamoshida continued. His knees felt weak. He threw out his arms in exhaustion, his voice cracking. "You DONT. GET it...YOU NEVER DID."

"Please...get up..." he said, nervously.

"You never got...your hands dirty as I did. I DESERVE IT! I DESERVE TO WIN BECAUSE OF IT!"

Kobayakawa stood his head sideways. "I-I can't let you...act like this."

"Or WHAT? You're going to fire me!?"

"...If I have to. The school matters. I-It's a cost-and-benefit analys-"

"FUCK YOU! I'll handle this myself!" Kamoshida then rushed off, slamming the door behind har enough to shatter the glass paneling on it.

"My God...he's finally snapped," Kobayakawa said, his lip quivering. "I...don't think sending any Shujin nubiles down the way could bring him back."

In a flash, he pulled out the black rotary phone before and proceeded to dial, his stubby, shaky fingers barely able to hold traction in the dial wheel's divots.

Then, the dial tone.

An automated, monotone voice came on the line.

"ID 34. How much bags of garbage do you need disposing of?"

"3..." Eiko came back in his mind. "...Make it 4."

"Hold on." Then, pleasant elevator music. Another voice came on the line, this time, with a synthesized voice.

"4? Are you sure? This is a large order."

"I-I'm sure..."

"Stop whimpering. Keep in mind, my solution to your order will be at my boss's and  _my_ discretion."

"O-of course," Kobayakawa replied, his fatty furls slick with sweat.

"STOP. WHIMPERING. Let me see my schedule then." A brief moment of silence. "It seems I'll be backlogged until tomorrow afternoon. We'll be in touch."

The man with the electronic voice hung up suddenly.

Kobayakawa sunk his head, staring at his desk clock, the one thing he couldn't control. "Shit..."

* * *

Kamoshida was in the faculty room, fidgeting. Homeroom was about to start.

_She SHould...DIe._

In his raging madness, it came to him.

_...They WilL alL Pay..._

He reckoned, as the apex predator he saw himself as, he'd start with the weakest link.

He trudged down to 2-D, hovering by the door. It only took him a few minutes before Mishima headed over.

He met Mishima, eye to eye. He saw the terror in his eyes. "Mishima...Gym. Now. We need to talk."

Mishima cleared his throat anxiously. He had no choice but to play along.

The two began to walk to the gym.

He trailed behind Kamoshida slightly, his head twitching periodically.

Even though his previous run-ins with Kamoshida weren't sunshine and rainbows, Mishima, seeing Kamoshida in this state, made him long for a spike to the face.

He told himself he probably didn't deserve help. That he probably earned whatever was coming to him.

But...the panic began to settle in.

Especially since they were about to pass through the gym doors.

It was something about the crazed look pushed into the sharp corners of his eyes. Something that made him pure fear for the first time.

Outside of Kamoshida's cone of vision, he pulled out his phone quickly and began to text the first name that popped up in his contacts.

 **MISHIMA:**  Something's wrong. Kamoshida looks crazy. Being dragged to the gym with him.

 **MISHIMA:**  I think...something terrible's going to happen to me.

 **MISHIMA:** Whatever happens...I'm sorry.

Kamoshida closed the doors to the vacant gym and turned around to find Mishima holding his phone.

He smirked, licking his lips.  _I'm GoiNG tO SavOR sHowIng you What IT means TO deFY ME!_

He then struck Mishima's throat, making him drop his phone.

The phone's battery busted out on impact in his hand.."You're not calling anyone soon," he sneered. "Now...you stupid fucking rat. Break a leg."

He quickly thrust his foot on Mishima's right knee, sending the first year in screaming fits.

"I'll give you the Sakamoto treatment..and then some." His voice cracked again. "Maybe you won't breathe after. That's fine by me."

* * *

Akira was already at his seat, about to shove Morgana into his desk space so he could give the feline some needed room. Kawakami was busy unpacking her stuff, too preoccupied to declare the start of class, when his phone started to buzz.

It was Makoto. Calling.

Right before class.

_An honor student like her straight-up calling? This is odd._

He answered:

"Ren! Thank god, I just got a text message from Mishima-kun. Something's off."

Akira got out of his seat, hurrying out of the room, and with Kawakami being none the wiser.

Ann though took notice of how Akira became so panicked, and considering she still has a list of questions to barrage him on what happened in the hallway, she trailed him.

Once again, with Kawakami being none the wiser.

Akira responded, now hearing his pulse reverberate into his ears. "Calm down; what do you mean?"

"...It's...Kamoshida. I think something bad's going to happen to him."

_Shit._

_SHIT. SHIT. SHIT._

_Not._

_NOW._

"I'm going after him! I need to stop him. Distract him somehow. I don't' know. Talk to you soon!"

"Goddamn, WAIT!" he yelled in the phone.

Despite all that Mishima did...leaving him to Kamoshida would be worse.  _And after putting his neck out, too, with that article Ms. Edgelord wrote._

"Damnit!" he cursed. He rushed towards his locker and dialed Ryuji.

"Damn indeed," Morgana said back. "My worst fears have been realized. What's the plan?"

"Adapt and overcome?"

Ryuji answered his phone. "Yo, Akira, why you'd call? You could have texted me, you know."

"Damnit, get over to the gym? Why?"

"IT'S KAMOSHIDA! JUST DO IT!"

"Alright, alright! So bossy!"

Akira pursed his lips. "One question: do we still have access to his Castle, if he gets knocked out?"

Morgana pushed its head out to glare at Akira. "What the hell are you getting at?"

"DOES IT?" he screeched while grabbing a smoke canister out of his bag and shoving it into his pocket.

"...No. Only if you kill him."

"Perfect." He set the containers extended the baton so that it was at full range, with the weighted end screwed on.

"W-wait, what the...Akira, what are you doing!?"

"Preparing for a demo." He pressed a button on the handle, making the wires arc randomly. "The 15 millivolt per centimeter demo."

"Don't go charging in! This is the human world! You're not Joker! You're Akira! You're more fragile. At least talk it out with Ryuji!"

He pulled out a Zippo lighter from his bag, holding it close to the canister in his pocket. "...Akira...Joker...What's the difference?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes: Sorry for not updating. Traveling, and I'm not always near places w/internet.
> 
> Not much to say here, other than the final part (maybe, it's that or a separate epilogue following after) will come probably sometime next week.
> 
> Stay tuned...


	19. Arc I Finale: Heart(s) Stolen, III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (Better to adapt than to watch your plan spectacularly fail in front you, isn't it?)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!
> 
> So yeah...sorry about not updating as often. I guess I didn't make it clear I was still traveling in some remote areas still, so that was interfering with my ability to upload.
> 
> And to make it worse, the original draft I originally had (which would have meant another chapter early last week) was lost. That...bummed me out for a bit.
> 
> Unfortunately, it bummed me out to where, as of 10/29/2018, Fool's Oddysey is now on hia-
> 
> Just kidding.
> 
> Enjoy!

**A few minutes earlier...**

"Forgive me, Sensei! I need to grab something from my locker quick!" Makoto cried.

She then ran sprinting, ignoring the startled look on her homeroom teacher's face as he tried to form a response.

The aching in her legs as she sprinted reminded her that she'd had been away from the dojos too long. But she kept going.

And for someone she believed would get more than he deserved.

Still, it felt nostalgic; the rush of adrenaline, the panic gripping her knowing someone was at risk under your watch, all of that would be something she felt when she heard as a young kid her father's more fantastical experiences on the job.

It made raging through the gym doors feel all the more... _Appropriate._

Entering the gym, she heard Mishima's echoes reverberating off the gym walls. Her eyes steadied on Kamoshida, who, with a deranged grin on the side of his face, leaned over and choked a fidgeting Mishima.

She charged in, seeing what Kamoshida was up to. "Kamoshida, get off him right now!" she cried, praying, if worst came to worst, she wouldn't be too rusty.

"Be quiet and stay there. You'll get yours soon enough."

She took a deep breath.  _Arms first,_ _then legs._

Kamoshida, still unfazed, now eyed a Makoto running after him. "Well, well, Mommy Dearest coming to the rescue." He then looked down at Mishima. "Hey, Mishima buddy, you're letting the chicks down, having them fight your battles."

Mishima laid on the gym court, limp.

"Oh sorry, did you say something?" Kamoshida said flippantly. "Sorry, I couldn't-"

Before he could finish his sentence, Makoto took him by his right arm and proceeded to twist it forcefully around his back. "Foreplay, eh?" he said cheekily through his gritted teeth.

"Yield!" she cried, Makoto now twisting his wrist.

"What, you think because you're just a dumb Class Pre-"

She kicked behind his knee and slammed his face into the ground. "YIELD!" She was about to yell Mishima to run away, but he looked limp.  _His chest is moving though...at the very least._ "You are NOT touching him AGAIN!"

Meanwhile, Kamoshida continued to growl. "You stupid bitch. Protecting a piece of trash like him, after what that wimp has done in my name? You wouldn't be so maternal if you-"

"If I what? Knew you had him do to Shiho? He'll atone. But not while you stand in the way!"

Kamoshida kept raring his neck backward to get back some leverage. "Self righteous cunt. I don't care who your dumbass father was. You're dead; at the very least, expelled."

Makoto tried harder to make his wrist fold back into a perfect 180-degree angle. "...So be it. I'll take enjoyment in seeing you brought into the light, you pedophilic ASSHOLE!"

Kamoshida smiled irreverently. "You and what recorder?" He then pushed her off for a moment, but long enough to get up onto his feet and brandish his broad shoulders. "Now..." He licked his lips, coating them with a thick, slimy layer of saliva. "Time for some disciplinary action."

He reached out to grasp at her hair and hold her by it. Makoto, rusty by her standards, dodged fast enough so that Kamoshida could only grab loose strands.

Her sense of began to slow down.  _Right flank? Well then._

She bent her knees slightly. With his momentum, Makoto leaned into his chest and flipped him over, making him crash loudly onto the ground.

She kept a hold on his arm, making a perfect T with the ground.  _Textbook_.

Knowing how broad his shoulders were, she twisted her entire body around, holding on until she heard the pop, and the grunt of pain afterward.  _I doubt he'll be spiking students with that arm anytime soon._

The sudden pain in his dislocated arm made him jolt up, putting Makoto off balance and breaking her grip.

He stood himself up, looking attentively at his right arm. He uttered a sound from the back of his throat, oscillating between hysteria and despair for a few seconds. He then glared at Makoto and gave her a crooked smile. "I...taste the pain. Like...strawberries..."

Makoto wondered if he was under the influence of hallucinogens.  _He shouldn't be up after that. The pain alone would make him reconsider..._

He then twisted his limp arm, gritting his teeth while doing it, until it popped back in. He gleefully laughed. "You think, in my line of work, my arm never bums out like that?" He then whiplashed into a crying fit, tears trailing down his face. "Why can't you UNDERSTAND?!"

Suddenly, he charged at Makoto, arms narrowing on Makoto's slender neck.

She slapped them out of the way and struck directly on his Adam's Apple, making him halt for a brief moment. She continued to wail at his neck with the edges of her hands, finishing with a sweep under his legs.

Kamoshida kept on sobbing in bursts as he grabbed her ankles, bringing her to the ground with him.

Makoto, now on the polished wooden gym floor, felt her heartbeat get faster.  _This is bad...I can't let him..._

She connected her foot to his groin, but that stunned him slightly.

His hands were around her neck, and he began to squeeze, pressing his thumbs down. "Why...can't they...DO WHAT I SAY!" he said intermittently between choked breaths. "YOU..."

He squeezed harder.

She snapped his right thumb off her neck and out of its sockets. Her vision was getting blurry from the left hand.

He squeezed desperately with his left hand.

Her mind became foggier still.

She popped the remaining thumb out of its sockets as well.

In frustration, he rose up and slammed his foot into Makoto's stomach.

She curled, wincing and slamming her wrist in pain.

"Why can't you just...WORSHIP ME LIKE THE GOD I AM!?"

She felt once more his foot buried into her stomach, her vision slipping away.

"WHY!?" He cried another time.

She then caught a foot aimed at her gut, pulling it towards her to force Kamoshida back onto the ground.

With Kamoshida on the ground once more, Makoto, with balled fists, wailed on his midline to crush the air out of him.

He then swatted one of the shots away and came back with a backhand.

The shot discombobulated her enough that she was about to stumble over.

At that moment, she hoped for she'd hold on long enough for Sis. For Dad. And maybe,  _him._

But now, she had to hold on enough for a final blow. With a reddened, puffy cheek, she rared back with a hard chop planted straight on the tendons of his neck.

Hard enough that his head cocked sideways.

Hard enough so that, when she stumbled, he stumbled with her, his eyes as bleary as hers.

Her vision began to smear. She wished she could keep her eyes open, but the strikes made her eyelids heavy. They started to blink slowly.

_...I'm a damn fool, aren't I_ , she cursed herself.

Despite that, and despite what she considered a foolish plan borne of impulse...

She smiled as she took a small rest, a part of her happy knowing she gave the best homage to Kazuhito Nijima she could think of.

Her eyes narrowed to a small sliver.

Meanwhile, Kamoshida still had some energy left in him.

He pushed himself up slowly, his legs buckling slightly.

He stared at a passed-out Makoto, slowly drifting his eyes to her skirt while popping back his right thumb. The sight made him tempted to discharge his strength further.

Then:

The impact.

He felt a sharp pain on the side of his head.

He stumbled back to the ground, only to see what caused it: a metal canister, with a funnel dispensing smoke and spitting small embers.

The smoke quickly made a tower around him. Kamoshida attempted to move out of the cloud, but his knees buckled.

Another smoke canister rolled in front of Kamoshida, belching more smoke.

At this moment, he could only see two shadowy figures in front of him.

"Get Mishima someplace safe. I got the rest," one figure said to the other while brandishing a long rod.

The other figure nodded in return.

He stood himself another time, ready for another fight.

The shadowy figure protracted his rod, producing blue chirps of electricity.

Kamoshida swung a right hook at the figure.

It swung back at his hand with its rod, shocking the arm and making it limp for a brief moment.

Kamoshida was taken aback for a moment. His rage though returned to him, and he swung another right.

The dark specter lunged at Kamoshida's exposed neck, making his neck tense and harder to breathe.

Kamoshida, in a desperate fury, balled a fist with his left hand, thumb still not usable, and connected with his attacker's face. The smoke parted ways momentarily to reveal a boy, with a bag on his back, and a Shujin white turtleneck wrapped around his head such that only his death-black eyes and strands of matted, curly hair were visible.

"This is testing my patience," the White Masked Boy muttered with bile. He then stared panickily at a Makoto strewn on the ground.

The white billows on the ground had set the scene, one reminiscent of the boy's greatest failing. One of slit throats from ear to ear, and one of deranged murderers.

_...I...have to end this fast and decisively._

He fixated on her for a bit longer.

_...I..._

"Pussy," Kamoshida jeered. "Can't even face me like a man, having to wear a stupid mask and pull this stealth shit."

He pulled out a white packet and bust it open to spread the flash powder it contained into his hands.  _...I'm not letting it happen again, you son of a bitch._  He looked at his extended palms.  _The scarring on my hands healed enough since then, anyway._ "You know, Kamoshida-sensei, you remind me of someone. I hate that." He then clapped the powder in front of his hands, producing a flash that blinded Kamoshida's eyes and ringed his ears.

Kamoshida clasped his eyes, moving around frantically and crying in confusion.

Kamoshida's phantom then struck the back of Kamoshida's knees, the shot of electricity contracting the teacher's thigh muscles and forcing him onto the hard floor. He then pulled out the head on his shock rod, exposing the rod's conductive wiring.

The boy smiled mischievously.  _Your neck is nice and open._

He wrapped it around Kamoshida's neck and clipped the head to the wire, tightening the lasso.

_A shame I have to waste charge on a piece of shit like you._

_The other You deserves as much as possible._

* * *

Ryuji dragged Mishima out of the gym and set him aside.

Mishima still laid there, still limp.

"C'mon man," Ryuji said while shaking him furiously. "Wake your ass up already!"

"What the hell happened in there, Ryuji!?"

He turned around to find Ann looking at him with equal amounts of confusion and worry. "And why did Akira just charge in with a lighter?"

"Not right now! Help me wake him up!" Ryuji then kept jerking.

"Stop for a minute Ryuji," Ann interrupted. She then slapped Mishima's face.

No response.

"How is that supposed to help?" Ryuji wondered.

Ann put a finger to her mouth.  _Well, I read somewhere pain can jostle people awake..._

She laid out Mishima's hand and slammed her foot on it.

Mishima's eyes then opened. "OWOWOW!" He then realized whose foot was on his hand. "T-Takamaki-san! W-what are you-"

"She's waking you up, I guess? " Ryuji answered. "I'm still surprised that worked though..."

The three then heard Kamoshida yell bloody murder.

Ann peeked through the crack of the gym door, seeing blue streaks of electricity around Kamoshida's neck as he screamed in agony. After a while, Kamoshida turned limp, his eyes rolling into his head.

At that point, Akira let him loose from his electrical noose, allowing his flaccid body to collapse onto the floor.

He put his two main fingers on Kamoshida's neck to check for a pulse. "Still beating. The perfect wattage, at least on humans. I assume the Shadows will appreciate this." He tended to the still spewing bombs, drenching them with a water bottle stored in his bag and shoving the quenched containers back into his bag.

He then darted back to Makoto, the panic coming back to him as he put back on his turtleneck. Feeling the jolt of adrenaline from his confrontation with Kamoshida, Akira lifted her with ease and sprinted off towards the infirmary.

Morgana galloped close behind.

"Akira, wait a minute!" Ann cried.

"Infirmary. NOW!"

Ryuji grunted. "Damnit. Mishima, can you stand?"

"Y-yeah," Mishima said, swaying a bit. "I...have a tolerance for this stuff after all."

"Well, let's get going!"

Ryuji and Mishima rushed off to join Akira.

"Wait, guys!" Ann said, still staying by the gym door. "What about Kamoshida!?"

The boys though were too far away for her cry to be heard.

"Goddamnit, these boys are useless!" She then rushed into the gym and took a look at the passed-out Kamoshida. "Ok, Ann, just...think."

She saw a stack of mats in the corner of the auditorium.

Ann sighed. "This will have to do then." She was about to tug on one of his arms, but something about Kamoshida's unconscious body made her halt. And fume. "Piece of shit. He knocked you out, but barely bruised you."

She kicked at his ribs hard.

"I bet you don't even have anything broken, do you?"

A harder kick.

"I can't even believe some of the girls around me would give themselves to you in a heartbeat. If only they knew..."

Then, a flurry of kicks, each of them accompanied with a disgruntled growl, like an agitated panther.

With the last kick, she felt a momentary sense of relief.

_Still..._

She took an arm and started dragging. "How the hell are these stupid boys getting out of this?"

* * *

Akira crashed through the infirmary door, his breath ragged and his phone in hand, the line ringing to Takemi's clinic. He laid Makoto on the closest bed available.

On the bed, she rocked her head around listlessly, murmuring unintelligibly.

Nurse Mizuhi rushed over to look over her, noticing the redness around her neck. "What happened?"

"Your boss," he seethed. "He's a handsy piece of shit."

Her eyes narrowed. "There's no need to be so rude."

He then narrowed the distance between him and her, with creeping malice. "Let's be clear. You're going to excuse her home today."

She scoffed. "You have some nerve, thinking you can order the likes of me."

"You? The same person who trafficked abused students to your friend's out-of-the-way clinic. I understand having to send people to get treated, but conveniently covering for your boss is another matter entirely." He then held out his phone, showing the pictures Makoto sent. Meanwhile, Tae was on the line in the background. "And all of these little records here. Wouldn't be so good if you-"

She reached out for the phone angrily, but Akira held it away in a taunting manner. "Now..." Akira said, "you're not my target. Kobayakawa and Kamoshida are. You help me, I'll erase ALL of this."

"...Are you blackmailing me?"

Ryuji and Mishima then entered, equally out of breath.

Akira sneered. "I'm also trying to do something right. The company you keep would approve."

"How would you know? And what makes you think you can-"

"The kid's right," Akira's phone interjected. "I'm ok with this. Though...you are getting annoyingly heavy-handed again." Her voice smoldered. "Tone it down, little guinea pig, or else I'll 'accidentally' miss a vein with a blunt needle next time you come in."

Akira grinned slightly. "Sorry, Takemi. A bit rude to call you on short notice, I know. Your friend, though, needed coaxing, I assumed."

Tae hummed. "...Whatever. Mizuhi, listen to him."

"Excuse me!?"

"Judging by the sound of your voice. You hate his guts as much as I do. But we made a deal."

Mizuhi dimmed her eyes. "But...my job..."

"Worst come to shove, I can open a spot at TMC."

"...You wouldn't. What, as your receptionist? In your cramped clinic?"

"...You say it like it's a bad thing."

Mizuhi groaned. "Goddamnit. Fine. I'll get the kid the note." Her voice then simmered. "I can't believe I'm risking my job for this..."

"Relax," Akira assured. "Everything goes well, you'll have a clean slate in my books."

"Clean?"

Akira snarled. "...Pseudo-clean."

"W-wait," Ryuji interposed. "Just...hold on. What about Kamoshida? We totally left him there just now!"

"Yeah, you guys did!" cried an annoyed, girly voice.

It was Ann, panting. "He was heavy too."

"You hid him?" Ryuji exclaimed. "Where!?"

"Under some gym mats."

Mishima rubbed his chin to think. "Guess someone got lazy. Kamoshida has been a bit...off as of late. He would never let anyone on the team slip like that."

"Yeah," Akira said regretfully, hovering over Makoto's bed. "Off."

Morgana looked at him pitifully. "...She'll be alright."

Akira still hovered over her, visibly worried.

Ryuji ambled to his side and laid a hand on his shoulder. "C'mon. Just let her rest for the time being."

The tension in Akira's eyes loosened a bit. He returned Ryuji's kindness with an approving nod.

He looked out at the window next to him, the gym still trapping some smoke.  _Well...seems the smoke still is a bit thick._

He turned his attention to Morgana and leaned into its ear. "Listen to me. We aren't going to leave Kamoshida by himself for too long. You think you can...set some alarms by the gym?"

Morgana grumbled. "I...guess so. I don't see any other option here, now that Kamoshida's running rampant."

He shoved a lighter in Morgana's mouth. "Nice cat. Meet you in the alley."

"Don't rub it in." Morgana then scurried off, but not before stopping by Ann. "Milady, I must be on my way," he said as he passed.

Ryuji eyed Morgana critically. "...That damn cat..."

Ann stood there, bemused. "...Uhh, Akira? Why were you trying to talk to that cat?"

"Ignore him," Ryuji said nervously. "He's just...quirky."

"More like reckless," Ann added.  _Just why would he go this far? He didn't seem like the violent type when I talked to him, to be honest._

Makoto groaned and opened her eyes.

"Hey," Akira said while smiling softly. "You doing ok?"

Slowly, Ann read between the lines _. ...Her? Seriously? Miss straight-laced President?_   _I would assume someone willing to assault a teacher would be more...'adventurous'._

Makoto flinched as she moved her neck. "Fine...though I'm a bit stiff. Sorry for rushing in...I couldn't let him-"

"Trust me; it's ok. I would have done the same thing."

Her eyes were drawn to something red. "Akira...your hands..."

Akira looked down to find his hands puffy, with the palms singed.  _Well...you don't blind teachers without burning your hands slightly._

"You didn't..."

_Indeed, I'm caught red-handed._ "He's unconscious. For the time being. He tried getting up. I made sure he didn't."

Makoto looked bewildered. "...Are you ok?"

Ryuji butted in. "He's fine. Trust me. I have to say, though, you're pretty badass holding your own there. Kamoshida was stumbling around we found you, so I'm going to guess you did a number on him."

"Not enough, if I say so myself," Ann said bitterly.

Ryuji stared back at Ann in judgment. "Hey; chill. Not the right time."

"She does have a point," Makoto continued. "Being away from the dojo does that."

"Great, now you're beating yourself up," Akira joked.

Makoto smiled. "You're making terrible puns again."

"Oh...uhh...sorry."

Mishima then bowed in front of her. "Thank you. I didn't deserve you trying to save me...but thanks either way."

Ryuji pitied the poor first-year student. "Straighten your back. You're probably freaking her out."

"It's fine," Makoto replied. "Though...the plan...look, I'll...I'll find a way. I'll find something. I mean, my Sis is a cop-"

"No!" Ren interjected.  _Things have already gone south._ _The last thing I need is the police sniffing around every aspect of this..._  "Don't grasp at straws. The plan still stands."

"But how!? This is..."

Akira grinned. "Trust me. I have something up my sleeve."

"Please...don't be coy with me..."  _...He was like this back in LeBlanc as well. When I asked him how he was going to bring Kamoshida down with the Principal. And now...all of these histrionics...the excitement over the Phantom Thieves...This is BEYOND the scope of the plan..._

The memory of his bitter smelling hair came back.

_I..._

Then, his warmth on her chest.

_Trusted him then..._

Mizuhi stormed back, a paper in her hands. "Here's the note. She can go home."

"Home!? But I'm fine!" She raised herself, but the intense soreness she felt in her stomach pinned her to the bed.

"Home," Mizuhi pressed. "I'll add stomach flu as well." She winked at Akira in acknowledgment.

Akira took out a vial and held it his hand, staring guiltily at it.  _Should I? Ryuji and Morgana might need it soon more than her..._

Ryuji took the vial out of his hand and gave it to the nurse. "Patch her up with this, when you get the chance. The stuff works."

"Will do. Tae does wonders with this stuff, last time I checked."

Akira looked at Ryuji, shocked. "...You sure?"

Ryuji grinned. "Pretty sure. A bit inconvenient. But..." he looked at Mishima for a moment. "...we gotta do the right thing, I guess. Even if it'll hurt later."

The fire alarms started to blare off in the distance, and then sounded off in the main building.

_Just in time._ Akira took off, grabbing Ryuji by the hand. "Let's get going. They're be pooling in the hallways soon. We'll meet up with Morgana in the alleyway."

Cries of smoke came from the students who started to evacuate into the hallway, whose sprinklers started spraying.

Ann was livid as he lost the boys again. "...At the very least, he said where he was going." Ann charged after the elusive boys.

Mizuhi grimaced. "Damnit. These beds don't have wheels. Miss, lean on me. I have to at least evacuate you to the courtyard.

"But..."

"But nothing, Miss." She then leaned into her ear and lowered her voice. "Take my advice: listen to him. I don't know what he has planned...but based on what he said...you'll want to avoid school today. Now...apologies if you get wet."

Makoto frowned.  _Ren...what are you going to do?_

She pulled out her phone. She couldn't help but think Sis could protect him, somehow. But...she remembered all of what Sae said in the past two weeks.

About winning.

About not compromising for any transgression.

Things that, with a perfectionist like Sae, would drive her to not compromise with a 'delinquent.'

That was enough of an answer for Makoto.

It made her eyes swell.

**MAKOTO:**  Sis, apologies but I came down with the stomach flu, it seems.

She froze; outright lying to Sis didn't come easily. Especially if the situation was serious enough.

**MAKOTO:** My stomach hurts quite a bit.

**MAKOTO:**  I'll take the train.

She took a deep breath.  _...I guess the note will make her less mad..._

The despair was setting in.  _...I'm sorry...I'm so sorry, Ren..._

* * *

The two weaved past the crowd forming in the courtyard and out by the entrance, ducking their heads while doing so. For Akira, he made doubly sure Kawakami wouldn't notice him in the crowd.

Just as promised, Morgana was in the alleyway, Zippo lighter in his mouth. "You liked my handiwork?"

"Worked just fine," Akira replied, his spirits dampened by leaving Miss President behind. Dampened as much as his bag from the sprinklers. "Look...I didn't know about her Sis being-"

Ryuji pulled out his phone. "Forget that. It doesn't matter anymore. Look, I got the Red App thingy, just stand watch, ok?"

"...Fine."

As Akira scanned, Ryuji thought out loud. "Ok, 'Shujin,' 'Kamoshida', 'Pervert Castle,'..."

The Metaverse App chimed in. "Conditions met."

The Other World phased in.

As the Castle solidified, Joker zipped open his schoolbag, passing Skull his shotgun. He then put his pistol, kukri, and shock rod in his trenchcoat.

Then, footsteps from the alleyway behind them.

Ann came at them, sprinting. "You jerks! Thinking you can just..." She became slack-jawed at the first sight of the Castle. "...Run off." Her mouth became more agape from the outfits. "...Wait..." She looked closer at Skull. "Ryuji? What are you even wearing?"

"Uh...I'm Skull though. I have...NO IDEA...what you mean-"

Morgana shook his head in embarrassment. "Oh stop, you idiot. We've been had. Lady Ann, we can explain everything."

Ann's mouth began to quiver. "W-why is t-the cat talking? And...Lady Ann?"

Joker then spoke. "Ignore him. Her. It. Just hear us out."

"Wait just a minute!" Ryuji interrupted. "How did she even get in here?"

Morgana shrugged. "Guess she hid in the alleyway when we activated the app. Seems like you can bring other people in by accident."

Akira groaned.  _Why would the Nose design the app this way? This sounds like the dumbest oversight ever._ "Ok Ann, go back where you came. It's too dangerous here."

"But what is 'HERE'? Isn't this supposed to be the school?" Then, Ann's epiphany. "Wait...is this your ace in the hole regarding Kamoshida?"

Ryuji netted his brows trying to form an explanation. "Ehh...sort of?"

"SORT OF!? You have to do better than that!"

"We'll explain later," Akira responded curtly. "You're ill-equipped-"

Ryuji rushed over to her side and lifted on his shoulder. "Sorry. I'll buy you a fat crepe later."

"Seriously?!" Ann said. "Let me go!"

Ryuji buckled though in the face Ann's furious fidgeting.

Ryuji now laid flat on the ground, Ann sitting on top of him. "Goddamnit...my effin' leg..."

"Pfft. Ill-equipped my ass. You know...I'm pretty sure you guys got here in from that dumb app with the red-eye, right?"

Akira eyes widened. "Uh, how did you know that?"

"Overheard you in the alleyway." Ann then pulled out her phone to show her version of the Metaverse Navigator. "I checked it out the other day. I bet I could recite what you guys said in the alleyway, and-"

Akira facepalmed.  _This day is getting worse and worse..._ "Fine, we get it. You'll barge back in even if we kick you out here." Peeved, he pulled out the new submachine gun from his bag. "Here, take this. This was supposed to be my fallback weapon. But, I guess...I can't have nice THINGS."

Ann inspected the gun. "This is fake though."

"What you're going to face, they won't know the difference."

Ann looked unconvinced.

"Just don't advertise it, and you'll be fine. If you're lucky, you won't need to use it."

Ryuji, though, wasn't having it. "C'mon, man! Just help me carry her out, and-"

"Nope. Just stay close and don't do anything drastic."

Ann sighed in relief. "Finally...trust me, I won't go off the beaten track. This place seems like a labyrinth anyway."

Ryuji growled. "Damnit, just...fine. Listen to this guy over here. He has a decent head on him."

Ann nodded. "Alright then. Where are we heading?"

Akira pointed to the tower in the distance. "There. Also, Ann...please use our codenames. Mine is Joker, his is Skull, and the cat-like being's is Morgana."

"...Do I really-"

"Yes!" cried the trio in pent-up annoyance.

"...Fine."  _Bunch of boys playing dress-up I swear._

_But...if this is going to stick to Kamoshida...I'll mind it less._

* * *

Entering the Castle through the old infiltration route, Akira felt uneasy; Morgana was even worse, its hairs standing up straight when walking.

Usually, there would be patrols he'd have to sneak by undetected, lest Akira sully his blade.

Today, though, they were absent. And these two were painfully aware of this fact.

Morgana kept a close paw to his scimitar. "Stay alert. You never know when we might be ambushed."

"Relax," Ryuji scoffed. "Last time I checked, no Shadows are a good thing."

Ann dimmed her eyes. "Ryuji, you can exercise caution once in a while, you know. Also...Shadows?"

"They're beings born from the human consciousness. In this case, Kamoshida's consciousness." Joker then remembered that Ann was here...and that she was probably none the wiser about the things Kamoshida had here on Shiho. "We don't have to go on detours. We have to get something from here, something that represents his twisted desires, and hopefully, Kamoshida will be an honest man after."

"Twisted desires?" At this point, Ann was imagining what kind of sick, twisted things Kamoshida bred in his mind, ranging from lewd to the grossly obscene; in all cases, she imagined things involving leather.  _...Scumbag piece of shit. "_ Alright. Sounds good to me. Though...I'm curious. Are we destroying anything important mentally if we poke around here?"

"...Possibly," Morgana lamented. "I'm not sure in what ways...but today was probably the best example."

"...I see." Ann then saw a slight pain in Joker's eyes. "I think I have a better picture now."  _Now...I feel sorry for Miss Prissy President. Just...a little, though._

They reached the base of the spiraling staircase, which had a stack of boxes. "I'm not sure, Ann," Akira said. "Stay here, while we scout ahead."

"Wait, why me? Shouldn't Ryu...I mean 'Skull,' take a break? His leg's, well..."

The worried look on Ann's bright blue eyes made Skull waver for a moment. "I'll be fine." He then laid a hand on Ann's shoulder. "I've been in here longer. Even...with the leg, I'm better prepared. We'll be back in a moment."

Ann pouted. "...Promise?"

"Promise. If we need you, we'll get you."

The trio then proceeded up the staircase, leaving Ann on guard.

Sneaking back into the Treasure tower, Akira and company were assaulted by the pulsating crimson air accompanying it.

"This shit is creepy," Skull mentioned, as they were walking up the stairs.

"Tell me about it," Akira muttered. His lingering anger blunted whatever anxiety the atmosphere created in him.

The three reached the Treasure Room, and the three dropped their jaws.

"Holy shit," Ryuji cried out. "...That's..."

"Big," Akira uttered. "Really big."

In the room was a floating crown, its golden frame glistening brighter than the speckling jewels embedded at its base.

Morgana's tail began to twitch violently. It started to purr as well.

"Uhh, Morgana?" Joker said, raising an eyebrow.

"I-it's like in my dreams up in this dude's attic," Morgana cried jubilantly. "I-I just...meow."

"You're acting weird," Skull said. He turned to Joker. "Dude, did you give him catnip or something?"

"Pfft. No."

"T-treasure," Morgana uttered, now pawing at the air around it.

"Cut it, Morgana," Joker muttered. "I want to be rid of this castle already."

Morgana's ears drooped. "Fine. We'll need to carry it out of this World and into the other. The only thing is it looks heavy."

Ryuji's eyes widened. "This big ass crown!? We'll draw so many stares if we do that!"

Morgana groaned. "It'll transform into the one thing the targets prizes the most in the real world. It won't necessarily be a humongous crown. Now..." he motioned towards the crown, "...shall  _you guys_  lend a hand?"

"Lazy ass. Joker, sorry. I know your hands are messed up, but, lend a hand?"

"Sure," Joker muttered. "My hands are fine enough, I think."

The two began to lift the crown from its place in space, with Morgana making a small effort to hold it up.

As they began to walk it down the tower, Akira's arm started to buckle.  _Goddamn...this crown is REALLY digging into my hands._ His hands began to weep blood again.

Skull's legs were bumming it. "Monamona, you think you can pull your weight? My leg..."

Morgana continued to hold his end daintily, purring to himself.

Skull grimaced. "You're right, Joker. He is useless. We should have gotten Ann up here."

"T-t-treasure," it uttered while rubbing his face on it.

Joker's hands were drenched red. "Morgana...stop...messing around..."

The trio took another step.

Then, Joker's side of the crown slipped from his injured hands.

Skull lurched forward, his knees finally giving in completely.

Morgana, however, held on for dear life. "Treasure! Don't leave me!"

The crown rolled down the stairs, with Morgana stuck to the inside of the rim.

Joker raised himself off the ground, running after it. "Morgana, let go of the damn crown already!"

Down at the base:

Ann leaned by a wall, arms crossed with a Skorpion in hand. "These guys should hurry up. All of this time snooping on these guys, and I'm being relegated to guard duty..."

She heard the clang of metal boots.

A Shadow Knight popped up, red flames surrounding him. "P-princess? What are you doing here!?"

"H-huh?" Ann stuttered.

"And what are you wearing!? You must wear the Ceremonial Garb! King Kamoshida demands it!"

_...King Kamoshida?! You've got to be kidding me..._ She pursed her lips, now furious that Kamoshida could ever believe she could demand things of me.  _Though...I mean...I did oblige him..._

The shame associated with such a thought made her bellow. "King Kamoshida can go screw himself!"

"...Excuse me?"

"I-I don't have to explain myself to you." Ann pointed her gun at the Knight. "I will shoot. No h-hesitation."

The Knight began to transform.

Then, a metal clanging from upstairs...mixed with the cries of a cat.

The Knight turned to look what was coming from above.

It was too late, however. The crown collided with it, flinging the Knight the opposite way and onto a wall, creating a black splatter.

The crown settled, and the mascot of the Thieves came out, stumbling. "T-Treasure..." Morgana recollected itself and found himself in front of a confused Ann. "O-oh, Lady Ann!" he said, starstruck in her presence. "I just...uh...heard your cries from...down below...and-"

"He didn't do shit!" Skull cried as he reached the base of the stairs. "Sorry; our hands slipped." He then saw the damage. "Damn...is he still alive?"

Ann took a closer look. The Shadow Knight was lifeless-looking.

Then a jolt. "Princess..."

Ann yelled and, eyes closed, jerked on the trigger, the gun's recoil shooting her arm upwards in the direction of the loyal Knight.

Opening her eyes, she saw the Knight was more swiss cheese than Knight, a set of holes that quickly became a thick puddle on the floor.

She stared at the gun in amazement. "Never mind. These guns...work?"

"I'll explain the rules of this world later," Joker replied. "Just...two hands next time."

Ann's arms were shaking from the adrenaline. "...Ok then." She took a closer look at the crown. "...Is this supposed to be his twisted desires?"

"Pretty much," Skull said. "Heavy, too."

She sneered. "It's just...too damn pretty. It pisses me off. I was expecting something more...ugly." She sighed. "Let's just get going with this crown already."

Then, suddenly, a voice down the hallway:

"Not any time soon, you FUCKING, no good, bratty pieces of shit."

The crown hovered again and shrunk down to human size. It then flew down the hallway, busting through a locked set of doors and into a room with loud, audible moaning.

The four, without hesitation, rushed into the hallway to find a mass demonstration of debauchery that would make Bacchus blush. In the two-story, marbled room sat a throne in the middle, with a crowned Kamoshida being showered by rose petals falling from the roof. Surrounding him were teenage girls in the girl's volleyball outfits, writing in ecstasy at the sight of the King. Interspersed were Shadows: angels in Templareseqe armor, imbibing from glasses of wine; and winged demons lazily hovering off the ground and muttering about the end times. And in the distance, were pillars carved in the visage of a woman's torso.

Joker couldn't believe the sight.  _Goddamn...we're on the verge of stealing his Heart, and his wounded ego produces this SHIT?_

It was about to get worse.

"Go, go, Kamoshida go!" cried an eerily familiar voice. It was Kamoshida's cognition of Ann, purple swimsuit and cat ears like before. And to top it, she entered the scene, crawling on all fours like a cat and pawing at the King's breast.

Then, another eerily familiar voice:

"Our Holy Majesty!" It was now a cognition of Shiho, one chained to a throne's leg with heavy chains. She was marked up and wearing a girl's volleyball outfit, with the shirt ripped down the midline. "Please...give it to me..."

King Kamoshida then kicked the cognition Shiho with a loose leg. "Quiet, peasant!" he cried. "You're just the fallback. Now that my Princess is here with me..." He turned to his version of Ann, scratching under her chin.

"Unbelievable," Joker muttered.

Skull joined in his bewilderment. "Seriously. This is effed up..."

Ann's eyes began to twitch violently. "...Is that...how he views me? And Shiho? And...everyone on the team?"

Skull's eyes dimmed. "I'm sorry, Ann. I...look, you need to know something."

"Really, Skull?" Morgana cried. "We have more pressing matters at hand here!"

"I know, but...she has to know soon or later."

Ann raised an eyebrow. "...W-what the hell do you mean?" Her armed hand was furiously trembling with anger.

"Excuse me, peasants," King Kamoshida cried. "Cut the chatter. Piece of trash slaves like you don't deserve to speak in my presence. Isn't that right, my Princess Ann?"

"Like, speaking without permission is so, totally unacceptable," Ann said while making a duck face. She then pawed his chest. "Especially with that MANLY coat of hair on your chest..."

"That's right," the King cooed.

Ann skinned her teeth. "There is no way in hell I sound like that..."

Her armed hand shook more erratically.

"Well,  _my King,"_  Joker simpered. "You can stop this masturbatory exercise and give me back the crown we were going to liberate."

The king chuckled. "LIBERATE! There is no liberation here? What, you think I'm some dictator? If I am, I'm an enlightened dictator. From the consent of my governed."

"Consent?!" Ann cried. "You wouldn't even know the meaning of the word! Doing things in secret...For all this confident talk of yours, you act like some shameful coward, doing things hush-hush and in the dark, you perverted scumbag!"

" _Au contraire,_  you fake whore. Adults willingly basked in my accomplishments, accomplishments that make me a cut above everyone else. Students with drive, unlike that Mishima, protected me and enforced my will by any means necessary. They all understood the need to win, to enforce the law of the land. Because that is how we'll all win." He then had a sour look directed at the group. "You idiots would never understand. Just like that Shiho bitch..."

"What do you mean?" Ann blurted.

"Well, it seems like...you being reluctant and all..." He gave a lecherous smile. "She was the closest thing to an outlet..."

"...I basked in his glory," Cognition Shiho said while drooling. "My life is complete..."

A tear rolled down Ann's face. "You son of a bitch..." She turned to Skull, her voice weak. "...You kept this from me the whole time?"

"...I-I'm sorry..."

Joker felt a pit in his stomach. "...This isn't something you just casually talk about in a school hallway."

"...You bastards..." She scanned her head. "All of you! I...I'm such an idiot..." She started to hyperventilate.

Then, a voice in her head cried out in relief.

**_My...it's taken far too long...Tell me...who's going to avenge her if you don't?_ **

Ann then felt a burning pain between the eyes.

_**Such is the scream of the other you that dwells within...** _

"Well then," Kamoshida jeered. "The fake bitch spoke out against me. What do you think of that, Princess?"

"Like, speaking out is like, totally-"

A shot then ripped the Princess's lower jaw out. It was Ann who took the shot, with both hands this time.

"SHUT THE HELL UP!" she cried from the bottom of her lungs.

King Kamoshida broke into a mortified sweat. "G-guards...SURROUND THEM, NOW!"

The Templar Angels (referred to as Archangels in Akira's mind) and Incubi formed up around them.

_Shit_ , Akira panickily commented.  _I suppose...if I have some smoke bombs to spare..._ He pulled out his lighter and one of his metal canisters and put the flame to the wick. Then, the panic crept in.  _...It's not lighting...Why?_

He then remembered his bag was wet.  _...Shit. SHIT. SHIT!_ _The wick's probably too wet!_  He then slammed the canister on the ground in frustration and pulled out his kukri and shock rod in desperation. "Goddamnit, Morgana, this is why I just use a contact ignition rather than a wick!"

"Like that would have made a difference!" Morgana responded.

The voice in Ann's head continued.  _ **Now, let us form a contract...**_

"I hear you...Carmen," she muttered, walking towards Kamoshida's throne.

Joker's attention diverted to Ann for a minute.  _Shit...I forgot she had an app. And in her state...I don't even want to imagine what's going to happen..._

"Joker, what's happening to her?" Skull yelled. "She's going nuts!"

"I think...she's going to be one of us soon," Joker replied. "If we survive."

Ann's inner voice was pleased.  _ **There, you go...you gain nothing by restraining yourself. You understand this...and thus I'll lend your strength...**_

A red cat's mask appeared on Ann's face. Her eyes were yellow and her pupils were narrowed on Kamoshida.

She then ripped off the mask, crying in agony when she did.

She was then enveloped in a blue flame, coming out in a kinky red leather outfit with a cat's tail trailing on her back. Above her was her Persona: a lipsticked woman in masquerade, wearing a magenta ballroom dress. Strung to her was a man with a heart for a head, flailing in the air.

By now, Kamoshida had fled to the opposite side of the room, teetering between fear and indignation, and leaving Shiho chained to the seat.

"This just pisses me off," Ann said while looking at "Shiho." She grasped the cognition by the neck, digging into its skin so as to draw sludge. "Thinking you could be manipulated to such a point..." She clenched her jaw. "I'm sorry I didn't believe in you enough as a volleyball player...so that I didn't have to do all of this for  _HIM_. CARMEN!"

The cognition was then swallowed in a warm flame. Amidst the bloodcurdling screams, the flesh melted off her bones, and the bones turned to ashes.

She then turned to the crowd of startled nymphs and Shadows, with tears rolling freely down her face and Carmen brandishing flames in her hands.  _...It's funny. Some of these girls here I recognize._

_They're the same ones that would harass me for my hair...my eyes...my lack of weight gain...and now, for 'being so close to Kamoshida.' I was used to it. I wore the fact I was different with pride...but now, being here..._

_I'm sick of it._

She yelled out the pain, and with that, Carmen unleashed a rapidly expanding circle of fire, evaporating some of Kamoshida's nymphs.

The rest of the team ducked down low enough to avoid the incoming flames. Some of the Shadows ducked down, but others had their faces burned off.

By now, the ring of fire had made the rose petals cinders floating in the air, and set the tapestry hanging from the ceiling aflame. Slowly, the room became the ninth circle of Hell, with Kamoshida observing in terror as he attempted to flee from an open window.

Ann realized the outfit came with a long red whip.

She brandished the whip and wrapped it around Kamoshida's neck, tugging him back.

Akira was still surrounded, however, and more Shadow came through the doors.

Though, now, Ann's powers gave him an idea. A risky one.

He quickly grabbed some items, flash powder included, from his bag and shoved it into his coat.  _Now...Here goes nothing!_ He threw his bag of materials on the ground. "ANN! LIGHT UP THE BAG!"

Ann stared confusedly at him.

"DO IT! AND MAKE THE FIRE HOT!"

"Shit! Joker, what are you doing!?" Morgana cried. "The collateral damage..."

Skull stared at him blankly. "...Seriously, what is he doing?"

Morgana dragged Skull down to the floor. "Duck down, Clueless!"

Ann then had Carmen shoot a jet of flame at the bag. A few seconds later, it exploded, shooting smoke everywhere.

Joker, wasn't as fast with ducking as the other boys. He was knocked back from the shockwave, slamming his back in the wall.

Everything for him turned to black.

* * *

"Welcome back, Inmate," chimed Justine. "This'll be quick. We expect you to awake soon."

Akira lifted himself off his cot. "A small consolation, knowing that hit on the head isn't fatal."

"Now, listen up!" cried Caroline. "It's time you use the Master's special gift! The one he's been saving for you!"

"So kind," Akira said dryly. "What, do I get...special Vision or something? Cut the crap. I got friends to protect."

Igor maintained that freakishly wide smile. "Patience is a virtue. But back to business. I'll direct you to the guillotine previously shown. Or rather,  _two_ guillotines." He pointed to two guillotines behind him, each on his side. "I notice you've been very busy expanding your compendium of Personas..." Tarot cards appeared in front of him, floating in the air. "Separately, they are marginal. But together...in the right way, they can be even more than the sum of their parts." Two cards shot out from the grouping of floating cards and started to glow. "It is time...to let go."

From Akira's head came Arsene. This time, Arsene decided to speak.  _ **"I am Arsene, the other you within. Though I may disappear at this time, I shall always be at your side.**_  Then, a brief pause.  _ **'Til** **we meet again...Pipsqueak Bro."**_

Akira did a double take.  _...I haven't heard that since..._

As Arsene cackled, he was sealed into a burlap sack and laid into the guillotine; the same thing happened to the other Persona, a Succubus with fangs that Akira wooed from a previous expedition.

Each of their heads was replaced in the guillotine receptacle. Then...the twins pulled down the switches, sending the blades down. Cutting through the blades sent out two jets of blinding light that fused in the middle, revealing a blindfolded woman with angel wings and black straps for clothing.

She opened her mouth.  ** _"I am Angel. My strength is at your command...Evil is on the horizon. We must make haste."_** She made her home in Akira's mind, flying towards him while in his cell.

"This will hurt, Inmate," Justine foreboded. "But this will make the process of returning faster."

"Act fast. Danger's close." Caroline struck Akira directly in the face with the butt of her baton.

Everything went black again.

* * *

Akira opened his eyes and found himself surrounded by more smoke than before.  _..._ _It's darker too. Like...an accelerated burn._ He looked up to find the fire from before reaching the ceiling. In front of him was smoke opaque enough that he could only see a few feet ahead of him.

He then heard a cry for help in the smoke. "Kamoshida, save us!" It was an Archangel with its left arm dismembered, clambering towards him.

He searched for his weapons on him, only to come up empty-handed.

He then noticed the small bonfire of nymphs next to the Knight and a sharp piece of aluminum from his canisters.

He slipped into the smoke.

The wounded Knight unsheathed his sword and swung around trying to him.

Several seconds passed.

Suddenly, Akira rolled from the smoke, grabbing the aluminum piece. He climbed up the Templar, ripping its mask off and stabbing at the area around his face.

They were shallow cuts, meant to disorient. Leaping off, Akira then pushed the Knight into the bonfire.

Akira watched it scream for life as it disintegrated into black dust.

Then, pieces of ceiling fell off, crashing into the ground.

"SKULL!"

It was the sound of Morgana yelling in the distance. Following it reunited him with the rest. Skull was pinned by a fallen piece of marble, and Ann was busy spraying at several Incubi, ripping the winged devils to shreds.

"Sorry about that," Joker said. "You see my stuff anywhere?"

"I got you, dude..." Skull then tossed his equipment to Joker.

Akira heard the clackings of hooves. A Bicorn charged after them.

"I got it..." Skull said weakly. "Captain Kidd..."

His Persona didn't appear, and it was dangerously close.

Ann decided to step in. "Carmen?"

Her Persona sprayed the horse with a powder that made it go to sleep.

Joker then found his shock rod to be functional still. He jammed the rod into its eye and sent some watts into its skull, incinerating it.

Pulling it out of the newly formed pile of cinders, Joker monitored the power.  _...A few charges left._ "You ok, Skull?"

"...I probably got a little bit in me before I'm done."

"He's being modest again," Ann clarified. "He's banged up to hell. Probably doesn't have the energy to fight, to be frank. Morgana, can you lift that marble off him?"

"...I'll try." Morgana then summoned its Persona and had it lift the marble.

Skull got up slowly, panting heavily. "Damn...we gotta get out of here before the Castle comes down on us..."

Then, a swoosh. Akira saw the speedy object briefly: a flaming volleyball. One that crashed through the wall that was behind the party.

Kamoshida then came out of the smoke, limping and with half of his body charred. In his hand was the crown. "...You...fucking son of bitches. My kingdom...it's burning..."

"My word..." Akira said. "Wait, Morgana...what happens if this Kamoshida dies here?"

"Then he dies in the real world," Morgana responded. "Don't worry though. They won't die from being one hundred percent burned. Only if their life energy is snuffed out completely..." Then, terror struck Morgana. "...GUYS, GET READY!"

"Why?" Ann asked. "Is there something bad coming?"

"Right in front of you," Kamoshida said smugly. He formed into slime, a bleb carrying the crown (now original size) towards the ceiling. The shaft of the bleb started to develop arms. Some with large, sharpened, golden knives that kept stabbing the floor wildly upon formation; and in others, a knife or a fork that ate from a cup between a set of formed legs. Then the face appeared: a purple, twisted, demonic representation of Kamoshida with a long slithery tongue slipping between jagged teeth.

"...What the hell," Skull uttered. He struggled to aim. "Well, looks like we're going to have to take this asshole down a notch then."

"Not unless I spike you to oblivion." He spiked down a larger volleyball this time.

The trio spread out, avoiding the shockwave the ball caused. It left a large crack in the floor.

"Shit, shit." Akira then threw the past of his powder at Kamoshida's eyes, blinding him temporarily.

The floor then split into two, the pieces slamming into a cathedral down below, decorated with a stain-glassed mosaic of King Kamoshida himself.

Everyone tumbled down into the bottom floor.

Reaching the floor, the Thieves made a mad dash behind a set of scattered pews.

Joker went first. "Damnit. At this rate, he'll tear apart the entire Castle trying to rip us to shreds."

"...I know," Morgana muttered. "This is a quagmire we've gotten ourselves in. If it isn't going to be Kamoshida, then it'll be the fire that'll kill us." It then blushed. "No offense, Lady Ann!"

Ann groaned. "...None taken."

"That cocksucker really seems to covet that crown a lot," Skull added. "I really would relish knocking that effin' thing off his head, smug piece of shit."

Joker smiled. "Then, let's do that. Like we got anything to lose." He looked up at a loosely hanging chandelier on the intact side of the ceiling. "That chandelier up there could pin him long enough to smuggle the crown to the near world. Morgana, sounds like a plan?"

"Sure does. I'm the smallest. I'll go for it. The rest of you guys try and distract it as long as possible." Morgana then transformed into a regular cat.

"Whoa, you could do that?" Skull exclaimed.

"Of course. Plus, I'm nimbler and faster this way. Don't this mess up guys." Morgana then lept up the pews and onto rubble stacked to the left of the group.

The trio then unloaded into Kamoshida, the bullets leaving only minor wounds.

"AGATHION" The jarred demon came out and sent a bolt of lighting down the way. Ann joined in, shooting a ball of flame at the towering demon. Skull kept firing buckshot.

Morgana made its way to the second floor. "Looks like the exchange of fire down there is keeping him busy.

Sipping wine from his cup, Kamoshida flung another explosive volleyball down the way, scattering the Thieves' cover.

'...Stupid fucking volleyballs," Akira grunted from the ground.

Kamoshida now glared at Ann. "...You know you want to come over to this side...you glory-seeking cunt. Sexual harassment? Bah!"

Ann couldn't believe it. "He still has the energy to say this crap?"

In a flash, Kamoshida lashed his long, cyan tongue at Ann.

She ducked down just in time, and Joker took a swing using his kukri, cutting cleanly through it.

Kamoshida fidgeted his arms about, crying heavily. "MY TONGUE! YOU'RE PLAYING TOO ROUGH!" He flung a knife across the room, cutting the space between Ann and Skull.

Ryuji was dry. "HURRY UP ALREADY, YOU STUPID CAT! God, I wish we could have used real ammo for this! That way, I'd know when I'm going to run out!"

Morgana was in position, transforming back to his pudgy self. "Piece of cake." From the chandelier, he jumped across the room, knocking the crown off Kamoshida's head.

Kamoshida was struck with fear. "NO! MY CROWN!"

As planned, the chandelier swung towards Kamoshida, knocking him back into the mosaic. Caught in its hoop, Kamoshida was weighed down, immobile, and the hardened glass embedded itself in his back.

Ann saw the window of opportunity. "ALL OUT! EMPTY EVERYTHING!"

The Thieves unloaded everything they could.

After a good minute of bullets tearing the scenery, the cloud of debris around Kamoshida faded away.

Kamoshida was still in his demonic form, albeit weakened.

Akira grinned.  _Time for the final piece._ "ANGEL!" His new Persona came out, stretching her angelic wings.

"What the hell?!" Morgana yelled. "Where the hell did you get that?"

"...I made it."

"YOU WHAT!?"

"It's what it sounds like. Now...no more delays."

_'Tis the time to cleanse his soul of foul temptations,_  Angel acceded. She summoned scrolls around Kamoshida. With a snap of her fingers, the scrolls gave way to blinding, white light.

He slowly faded back to his more familiar form, burned, bloodied and whimpering. "...Mercy. Please...I am...King Kamoshida..."

Skull hobbled over to see him up close. "Yeah. We know." He got the butt of his shotgun ready. "Nobody cares."

Then, the whack.

Skull then set himself down on a splintering bench and slumped in it, staring at an unconscious Kamoshida. "That...was for Shiho." And with that, Skull took off his mask to rub the dust caking around his eyes.

Ann walked up next to him and set down, a scowl still on her face.

Ryuji turned to look at Ann. "Ann...I'm sorry. I should have mentioned this a while ago. I thought I keep you away from this crap...You didn't deserve to find it out that way, Especially from him."

Ann leaned on her shoulder. "You're right. I didn't...you jerk..."

"I know...I'm sorry."

She then hugged him; he returned the favor.

Ryuji smiled softly. "It's ok. He ain't getting up soon. For now...let's just relax."

In his arms, she didn't hold back. She let the tears flow, shoving her face deep into his pirate coat.

Joker took off his mask and took a deep breath.

Morgana trotted next to Akira. "Goddamnit, Ryuji...getting all of Lady Ann's attention..."

Akira gave a hearty laugh, knowing that even if it didn't pan out in the real world, seeing  _this_ moment, this genuine, human moment, the type that warms the blood and livens the soul...was worth the pain of the past two weeks.

"Yes," he said, beaming. "He is."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the meantime, for all those that have read, commented, and gave kudos:
> 
> Thank you, guys. Honestly. You guys give me the energy to continue writing, and I appreciate that.
> 
> Apologies for the long chapter. I guess I'm just overcompensating at this point for the lack of posts.
> 
> I'm going to shoot for Friday/Sat. for the Kamoshida epilogue.
> 
> Stay tuned!
> 
> 11/3: Making a few edits. Particularly towards the end. I realized that the end was particularly sloppy in comparison to the first bit, both in editing and pacing, so I tried to make a few changes (It probably didn't help I basically wrote this after getting back from hiking before, so I was probably too tired for my own good. That, or I was just self-conscious about the length of the chapter and wanted it wrapped up as soon as possible.)
> 
> Hard to say. But I'm not going to try to spend too much time on it, as I really want to focus more on the epilogue.
> 
> I will say though that I want to push the epilogue more towards Monday/Tuesday just so I can take another look at the chapters I have before.
> 
> Stay tuned!
> 
> P.S. The next chapter will also be weak to Pancakedyne.


	20. Arc I Finale: Heart(s) Stolen, IV

King Kamoshida opened his eyes slowly to find a kukri at his throat.

Seeing the blade glisten made his throat seize.

"You're awake," Joker said while holding the blade. "You didn't keep us waiting for long."

"...I'm sorry," he whimpered between bubbles of black blood coming from his throat.

"Uh, do Shadows bleed out?" Ryuji wondered.

Morgana shook his head. "Shadows don't die from blood loss, Skull." It then took a closer look at the shell of the King. "Good thing, too. If this were a real person, I'd reckon he'd be dead from shock alone."

Joker, for once, took pity on the King. "Tell me about it..."

The King's monstrously large crown transformed back to human size.

Joker walked over to fish it out of a pile of marble and bricks. He dusted it off, taking a long look at it before directing his attention to Kamoshida. "I'll take this off you for good this time."

"I...guess...that's ok."

"Good," Joker replied with a victorious grin, the grit of glass and marble stuck between his teeth. "The lady in the cat's outfit is right you know. A real piece of trash like you doesn't deserve something this shiny." He turned to Morgana. "Fetch." He tossed the crown to it.

Morgana caught it and proceeded to rub itself on it. "...Precious..." He then felt Ann's bewildered stare and restrained himself. "My apologies. I'm so unbecoming..."

Despair washed over Kamoshida's face. "You should just...kill me right now...finish this off..."

"...Hmm, that reminds me," Joker replied. "Morgana, I'm going to take it if we actually do kill him, the real one will die."

"Most likely."

Akira sighed. "Well, I ain't going to do it." He pivoted to the rest of the group. "Skull? Miss?"

Skull smirked. "The sight of his toasted ass is fine enough for me."

"I prefer seeing him answer for his crimes," Ann added.

"Excellent!" Ryuji said while fist-pumping. "Skull and Cougar agree!"

Ann then kicked Skull's bad leg. "Skull and PANTHER agree."  _Really...Cougar!?_

"Well then, O' King of Kings, you can't always get what you want."

Kamoshida laid his head flat on the floor, not having the will to hold it up anymore. "...What do I do then?"

Joker's voice became more solemn. "Answer for what you have done. In this world...and the real one. Quitting your job, handing yourself over to the police, and dismantling everything you've built at Shujin is a start."

A tear came of Kamoshida's eye, on the unburned side. "...I'll try."

"You will," Akira pressed. "That's all I will ask."  _Even if the real Kamoshida might not hear it..._

The King began to disintegrate into fine sand that blew off into a wind. "...I promise. Though...I wonder now if there will be another guy like me...A guy who afraid to fail like me..."

Akira leaned in further, frowning. "Then I'll be there. Lurking."

The King dissipated into the sky, which turned bright as the clouds faintly parted and gave way to indigo sunlight.

Then, a rumble formed under their feet.

Joker looked through the broken cathedral window, seeing the Castle in the distance collapsing. "I'm guessing we should leave."

"I assume so," Morgana answered.

Joker then lent Ryuji a shoulder. "C'mon, I'll help out."

"Wait...don't you have a vial left for me?"

"Ehh...I forgot to get it out before Panther torched it."

"WHAT? SERIOUSLY?"

"...Wasn't my brightest moment. That, and well...not ducking fast enough."

The trio shuffled to the Castle Entrance, behind them a cloud of rubble that climbed high into the sky and started to fill the nearby alleyways.

The cloud creeping closer behind them made them hobble faster.

Ann's legs started to burn from overexertion. "Yeah well...it was at least something," Ann replied guiltily. "And on short notice, too. I wouldn't have it any other way. Though...sorry about the bag."

Joker smiled, albeit with tight corners in the face. "At least I got my notes. I can get another bag at the student store."

"YOUR NOTES!?" Skull blurted. "You forget the medicine, but not your notes for class!?"

* * *

Reaching the alleyway they came from, they phased back into the real world, the school now having fire trucks on standby.

"What? Midterms are coming up."

Their knees suddenly became wobbly. Ann tumbled into a nearby trashcan, while Ryuji and Akira hunched over and spat up blood.

Ryuji didn't like the metallic taste in his mouth. "God...is this what getting messed up after feels like?"

"Welcome..." Akira hacked up a bit more crimson sludge. "...to the club."

Ann then leaned over Akira. "Are you sure you're going to be alright?"

"Don't worry...my plug will fix everything tomorrow. For now...a night's rest should fine."  _...Though now I might have a concussion this time._ "Look, they're about to disperse back to class. We should head back."

His phone chimed. "Location unavailable for teleportation."

He raised a brow. "Well, sounds like we won't be going back there anytime soon. This has something to do with stealing his Heart, right?"

"Once one's distorted desires are taken," Morgana answered, "then its manifestation disappears from reality." Morgana then sported a toothy grin. "Now, before we go...Treasure?"

"Oh yeah. Right." Akira realized that the crown he was carrying in his hand was absent. He frantically searched around in his coat pocket.  _I swear I had it just...Is this it?_ He pulled out a gold medal, something he didn't remember having before on him.

"Yep! That's it!" Morgana piped. "So shiny..."

"Wait, now I can hear the cat talk!" Ann cried. "What changed?"

"Turns out it's true," Morgana confirmed. "Anyone that visits the other World can hear me...cool." He returned to pawing it playfully... _Treasure..._

Ann took a closer look. "An Olympic medal? That's the thing he treasured the most?"

"I'm not surprised," he said unamusedly. "Guy got snubbed from a professional career and got plopped here. I wouldn't be surprised if he polishes his old trophies at the same frequency he massages his fragile ego."

"That's annoying," Ann scoffed. "It makes it all the better, going into there and kicking his ass."

 _...I wonder,_ Akira thought. "Is this one of his actual medals, or something in the visage of one?"

"Completely new," Morgana answered. "It's all yours to keep...and for me to ogle."

"You mean, to sell as soon as possible," Akira replied as he searched the prices for a typical Olympic medal. "These things charge quite a bit. And they're unnamed, so we can do it anonymously without some Olympic tryhard snooping."

"S-sell?" Morgana despaired.

"I could always use more cash. Plus this just invites questions if somebody finds it on me."

The cat being grumbled. "I'll have to settle with the thrill of a successful score, then."

Ann shrugged in resignation. "Whatever. I'm too tired to question it." Her face then lit up. "Hey...you wanna get crepes with us and stop by Shiho after school tomorrow? She's out of her coma. It'll be out of the way, and the meds she's on might make her doze out but..."

He gave a stiff smile. "Of course I will."  _I needed to give her something back anyway..._

They started to take the steps back to class, flinching on each one as if they stepped on obsidian shards.

Still, they kept up with the returning crowds, which surprisingly didn't care about the purring bulge under Akira's coat. "Let's just hope Kawakami doesn't sniff around too much," Akira said while detouring to the lockers.

Ann sighed. "Unlikely. We did leave suddenly."

He looked in the space under his jacket near his breastbone. "Sorry, Morgana. I'll shove you in a bag when I get a new one during lunch, but the lockers will have to do." He then pulled out a self-satisfied Morgana hugging the medal and shoved it into the dark, musky box. He then pulled out a folded notebook and some pens, breathing a sigh of relief knowing his "other gift" from Akihabara was still in there based on the soft packaging he felt with his hands.

"Did you seriously shove all of that in your bag, with whatever weird concoctions you cooked up?"

"Yep. I still have the prod, too."

"...You're a screwy kid, you know that?" ... _A shame. If you cleaned up your messy hair and got out of the Shujin outfit, you could be stealing hearts instead of...well...stealing Hearts._

He clasped the back of his head. "...I'm not exactly the most...well-adjusted kid. It doesn't help I obsess over chemicals."

"I guess..." There was something still remaining, however. "So, why team up with the Class President? You mentioned a plan after all."

Akira froze for a moment. "Well...Kobayakawa was also on the list," he said in hushed tones.

"The principal? Her boss?"

"She proposed the plan, not knowing what Ryuji and I were doing in the other world."

"Does she..."

"Nope. I mean...I'm pretty sure."  _I think..._

She sighed heavily. "A bit irresponsible. She practically sent you out to do the heavy lifting."

"Heavy lifting?"

"We have that Other place, don't we? Is it possible there are other people like Kamoshida? Such as Kobayakawa, for example." She then looked down as if she was talking to herself as well, her curious tone shifting to a bitter one. "What could a normal person like her do?"

Akira sensed her regret. "A lot, believe it or not. "I wouldn't have found out about what Kamoshida was without her. Plus..if the plan does work out, all the better."

Ann pouted still.  _I guess we'll have to agree to disagree then..._

He pulled out his phone.  _She's probably still upset about the whole Kamoshida business. Best I leave things be, for the meantime._  "Besides, I was curious about that myself." He opened the Metaverse App, pointing to the name entry in the search bar. "My cat mentioned before that there are other Palaces. Since this App pings me whenever there's a name associated with a Palace, I tested it alone. No hits."

"If any manifestations of distorted desires," Morgana added, "they'd be in the common man's Palace, Mementos. And well, this dude had to make the call, given the Principal was putting the heat on him. Trust me, Lady, Ann, if I had my human form, I would drag him there myself. But for now, I just advise."

"Human form?" Ann replied.

Akira jabbed at her side and looked intently into her eyes, signaling to play along. "I'll explain that later," he whispered. "Suffice it to say...if everything goes south, there's always another way." He then winked at Ann.

She returned his smile with a soft grin.

By now, Kawakami's classroom was in sight. She stood by the door, tapping her foot impatiently as she waited for everyone to fill their seats again.

"You want me to go on ahead? You might get hounded because of your record, unfortunately."

"It's probably for the best."

"Alright then." She walked on ahead to her seat.

Akira lingered by the door. "Kawakami-sensei."

She crossed her arms. "You took a bit getting your bag."

"I was helping our Class President to the infirmary."

Her face was harsh. "Oh really?"

His face stiffened. "I'm not joking."

"Well, is she alright? Because I don't want to find out whether the fire alarm we just had now, the one that drenched half of the school, was YOUR or Takamaki-san's doing."

"...She's fine. And no, that wasn't us. Now, Excuse me."

Akira took a step, but Kawakami wasn't finished. Her voice became more hushed. "Fine. There was a buildup of smoke in the gym, so, for all I know, someone might have been spooked. For now, I need to advise you on your disciplinary hearing."

Akira grunted. "Yeah...that." He stared intently. "My odds aren't great. I know that. You were there with Kobayakawa himself. He made the stipulations clear."  _Under a layer of grandstanding._

Kawakami became downcast. "...I wish things could have been different."

"Everyone wishes things to be different." He then bit his tongue. He knew, that at this critical of a time, he shouldn't add another variable to his success. But, in his mind, he had to.

After all, this was for her sake. And Kawakami was the best chance out of all of them. "Look, don't take it the wrong way, but I'm not a big fan of teachers."

The dark circles under her eyes furled in contempt. "Akira Kurusu...that was pretty clear with you sleeping in class."

Akira squinted his eyes. "Please let me finish. I'm saying you're an exception. You seem alright."

Her face lightened up. "Oh? Well...thanks?"

"Just...if something 'eventful' happens tomorrow, for Nijima-san, can you-?"

He heard a heavy voice behind him. "Kurusu."

It was Kamoshida, slightly damp from the sprinklers being activated from before. Akira was ready to pull out his baton in defense, but he saw the look.

The look of defeat.

The look of hopelessness.

Kawakami took notice as well, particularly the broken finger on his left hand. "Kamoshida-sensei...what happened?"

"Kurusu...I'm sorry."

Head cocked, she stared in bewilderment. "What do you mean by that?"

"I'm sorry too...about Suzui-san...the team...Nijima-san...that's all I have to say." He then trudged off, in the direction of Kobayakawa's office. "I have to think. About certain things. Excuse me."

Kawakami's mind drew blanks. "...Um, sorry, Kurusu, you were...uh...saying something?"

Akira shared her dumbfounded look. "Umm...n-nothing. I-I'm going to sit down. We're done talking." He hurriedly got to his seat.

Akira stared out the window, trying to process what happened.

Wondering if...

There was one unknown to check off the list.

* * *

An hour passed.

Makoto felt loose enough to bend up again after being smeared with the 'mysterious miracle gel' Ren always had.

She imagined she'd get up at something point before school concluded. Maybe an hour before, she felt confident enough that she didn't need to go home. She'd face the music. But now...

Nothing.

Nothing came to mind. Anything, in her eyes, could happen at this point.

She was tempted to stay on the cot and not get up.

To stare blankly at a blank room with puffy, red eyelids. A room, where the room now had a thin film of water from the hallway outside.

An empty room, silent enough that one gets tuned to the slightest creak.

_Alone._

Her eyes got misty again.

... _Alone._

It was starting to hit her.

What impending loneliness would feel like. Not the type one feels when you isolate yourself in a book in a quiet library booth.

It was the type that squeezes around the heart and wouldn't let go. The suffocating kind she felt when she lost a good man in her life.

She started the walk of shame down to Aoyama station, hunched over slightly and with her anguish cementing onto her face.

A shame born from not being able to save one  _probably_  good man.

* * *

"RESIGNATION!?"

Kamoshida bowed fully in front of Kobayakawa. "Yes. By the end of the week."

The flaps on his neck trembled in anger. "...After everything...we've done..."

"...Please...we've done terrible things."

"FOR THE SCHOOL!" he spat out as he hammered his desk. "THAT'S ALL THAT MATTERS! GLORY! PRIDE! WHO GIVES A SHIT ABOUT THE LIVES OF A BUNCH OF INSIGNIFICANT STUDENTS LIKE THAT GIRL!?"

Kamoshida stayed mum.

"I swear, you'll never get a referral from me, that's for sure! And I'm hanging you out to dry! Last time I checked, you're the one that likes them young, irrespective of gender!"

Kamoshida bowed once more. "Excuse me. I'm...going to isolate myself back home...I need time to think." He dragged himself out of the door, lifelessly opening the door. "I'll get my stuff the next day."

Kobayakawa kept on splintering desk, not caring about the welts forming on the edges of his hands...or the Buchimaru-cased phone stuck under his desk coming loose from the adhesive placed around its rim. "What, like you're going to confess to every student here that you're a terrible person, just because you let some punk student scare you!? PATHETIC!"

"...Maybe," he muttered gravely.

As Kamoshida shut the door behind him, he stared at the rotary phone under his desk.

He dialed that number again. "Reference update," he said to the operator.

The synthesized voice came back. "You're testing my patience, you know that."

He held a hand to the receiver. "We have a leak."

"Which one? Your recent order is quite large; my other clients don't have this much trouble."

"KAMOSHIDA! He's...changed."

"...Changed?"

"He's all, remorseful...weepy. I think...he's grown a conscience or something. I dunno! But, he might confess to his...personal indiscretions. I need you to hurry."

The voice paused. "...How much does he know?"

"Just what I had to cover up within Shujin."

"I don't care about that, you fat idiot. HOW. MUCH?"

Kobayakawa turned white. "...He...doesn't know about the personal line."

The Other Voice sighed a hard, pixelated sigh. "I'll send out the order. I'll have my other guy monitor his movements. And my other, OTHER guy can monitor his phone and internet. Anything's out of the line...I can get the signal from them and deal with him. Immediately."

"W-what do you mean...immediately?"

The Other Voice simmered. "It's exactly what it means. We'll be in touch."

The phone went silent.

Even with the reassurance that more would be done...

Kobayakawa sat there in his seat, the color still not returning to his face.

Still...

The memo for tomorrow's emergency assembly had to be sent. "After all...it's a matter...of aesthetics..."

* * *

Sae had gotten back from work in the afternoon "I'm home!"  _...And sober too. I mean, my head feels dull, but other than that, I'm functional._

 _Though...after what the SIU director told me...that might be harder in the future_.

The living room lights were off; the sunset was more than enough to brighten the room.

She noticed the doctor's note on the counter. She leaned over; she got the call from the nurse, but she had to make sure.  _She eats so rigidly after all...maybe that silly diet of hers isn't the best for her, after all._

She went to Makoto's room, whose door was shut. She turned the door handle slightly; it didn't budge. "Makoto?"

"...Sis..." the voice in the room said weakly.

"...Are you ok? I can make some tea, you know. That is, if you don't have the energy to do it yourself."

"...Don't worry about me," Makoto replied. "I drank some tea when I came back an hour ago. I'm just resting."

"...Alright then. You know, I got an update at work. I...uh...I'm going to be working more next month. They...gave me a new responsibility. They want me to head a sex crimes division if you can believe that. Last minute too...if you can believe that." She bit her fingernails nervously in response to what she last said.  _...The shutdowns...I can't let this distract me damnit..._ "Look, if you're up for celebrating your birthday tomorrow, then, I apologize. I might not be, well..."

"...O-oh, well, I think you'll do fine," she said shakily. "And don't worry; we can celebrate my birthday later in the week."

She darted her eyes down guiltily. "You, uh, going to be ok tomorrow? I don't want you falling behind." She pictured more nights sleeping under her desk, starting tomorrow.

"I-I think I'll be fine," she said deflatedly. "...Love you Sis. Excuse me, but I need to get some rest."

Sae smiled edgily. "Ok...you don't mind if I check up on you periodically?"

Makoto paused.

"...Makoto?"

"Sure..."

"Alright then." Sae left the door alone and laid herself on the couch.

A few minutes later, the fidgeting began to come back.

She gave a reserved sigh and got up off the couch to make some tea.

As she whisked in some matcha in a bowl, she stared at the cabinet ahead.  _The sake cabinet..._

She nibbled at her lip, her eyes idle on the small, open space leading in.

The green tea was ready.

She started to walk back, but she looked at the kitchen one last time.

She then resigned herself; she opened the cabinet and put a divot of sake in the teacup.  _...At least it's watered down. Old habits die hard, after all._

She turned on the TV, watching the stock freefall on the news while the sunset cast dark, sharp bars over her face.  _Damn...Akechi's probably going to consult on this case again._

The company defaults listed on the TV kept coming.

Both of these things were worthy of a sip. She raised her cup. "To the youth, then. Makoto included." She took a drink.

After a few, the jitters went away, and she set it down.

With a steady hand, she pulled out again Father's notebook and went into a trance.

_Evil...keeps on coming. You didn't include that, did you Dad?_

Despite the bitter words, she smiled a bit. _I'm sorry. I'll make sure to give Mom a proper visit soon. Perhaps, I'll extend a bow to you as well. A stiff one. But a bow, nonetheless._

And with that added to the alcohol, she felt for a brief moment, the calm.

The calm found temporarily in the eye of the storm.

* * *

_Resting. Right._

Makoto hid in the darkness with the bed covers wrapped around her.

She shielded her Buchi plush, clinching its fur hard.

The same words kept on circling in her head:

_Alone._

She wasn't sure if  _THIS_ , or the moment she heard about Dad's passing, was worse.

_Stupid. You're sick alright. Just...not with the flu._

She buried her face deeper in Buchi's soft, white plushy belly.

Makoto could say at least one thing: She never learned how to fail gracefully.

At the very least, she had to know if he was alright.

She was about to message him, but he was first to the draw.

 **AKIRA:** Did you get back ok?

She greeted the only source of light in her dark box with a smile.

 **MAKOTO:**  I did.

She paused.

Then:

 **MAKOTO:** What happened today?

He responded immediately.

 **AKIRA:** We got the signal from Mishima.

Her eyes lighted up.  _SERIOUSLY!? BUT...BUT..._

 **MAKOTO:** How is this possible!?

 **MAKOTO:** You better not be lying to make me more at ease!

 **AKIRA:**  Mishima?

 **MISHIMA:**  Not all the audio is clean

 **MISHIMA:** But I found a nugget clear enough

 **MISHIMA:** It'll need a few more hours, but it'll be ready

 **MISHIMA:** I'll keep you posted.

 **MISHIMA:**  And Eiko too, in the morning.

 **AKIRA:** Trust me, guys. I'll handle that.

 **AKIRA:** I'll make sure Ms. Eiko gets her shiny, new phone back.

 **AKIRA:** Get some rest, Prez.

 **AKIRA:** See you in the morning.

He left the chat, and all she could do is linger on his words in a quasi-hypnotic trance.

It was unbelievable. Terrific even.

And, for her...

That was the problem.

Blind faith, for her, wasn't a thing.

But...

She was tired.

The questions would come tomorrow.

 _...IF things work as planned_.

* * *

Akira put his phone away.  _She made it home...Thank goodness._

He stayed behind into the late afternoon, making sure the hallways were clear enough.

He scanned around another time. He pulled another item out of his jacket: a thin piece of sheet metal.

He went to folding and splitting it into two pieces. "Morgana, you mind peeking around? I think I got this."

"We'll see about that, acolyte."

A few seconds passed.

Akira finished off the lockpick with a curve and held it in front of the opening in his bag. "You like?"

"...Serviceable."

Akira smirked. "That's a yes."  _Supercilious_   _bastard._

He leaned down and started jamming.

"Let's hope that you won't take too long. You being an amateur and all."

"Don't worry...I think I listened to you just fine."

The lockpick suddenly snapped, with the piece of the aluminum jamming into the door.

"Nevermind," Akira said while sighing heavily. " Morgana..."

"Warned you. You're lucky you had extra scrap. Hand it over."

After being handed over some extra material, Morgana, from the bag, went to work excitedly on the lock. "Damn, you really scratched the inside of the lock here."

"Is that a problem?"

"Nothing I can't work around. Just needs some massaging, after all."

After several seconds...

The click of the door came.

Akira went inside running for the underbelly of the desk. "And there it is...her large brick of a phone." He took the phone off the ground.

Then, Akira realized where he was.

He was morbidly curious. He started to pace around the mahogany desk.  _A big desk like that, and a large Principal like Kobayakawa would have made looking under the desk quite difficult. I'm glad he didn't notice it on the ground, and now, I can rationalize why._

_I'm surprised though; I didn't expect Kobayakawa to be a fan of old-fashioned rotary-_

"C'mon," Morgana yelped. "We don't have all day!"

"...Alright then."

Akira closed the door behind him, neurotically wiping the door of prints. "Fingers crossed."

* * *

4/23

The emergency assembly started early morning.

Ryuji yawned. "This early. What the hell for?"

Ann looked at her phone. "Beats me."

Akira stared ahead, half-awake and wondering when he could sit down again.

Makoto, by the sidelines, stared ahead, arching her back trying to force through the soreness. That, and scanning anxiously for that familiar bed of frizzy hair in the crowd of students.

Kobayakawa hobbled up the auditorium stairs to the podium. He faced the student body, steely-looking.

Emphasis on  _looking._

He cleared his throat. "As you all know, a tragic event took place the other day involving a female student. We've been informed that, thankfully, that she has pulled through, but it will take some time before she recovers."

"...No need to remind me," Ann said under her breath.

Akira got the buzz.

 _That's the cue. Everything's uploaded_ _, then_.

Kobayakawa kept up his grandiosity. "Everyone here has a bright future ahead. I implore you to rethink the importance of life-"

Everyone's phone started to buzz uncontrollably, forcing everyone to look down.

Makoto checked her phone.  _Unknown number. Mishima claimed Kamoshida had access to students' numbers and emails from Kamoshida himself. An awfully convenient skill if I say so myself..._

Akira heard the whispers around him:

"These guys again? C'mon, the message is titled "A heart-to-heart between Kamoshida and Kobayakawa. This has to be a prank..."

Akira had the rosiest smile on his face. "I guess I'll play then."

He pressed on the link, directing him back to a page the Phan-Site.  _Phan-Site...man, that is a silly name._

The page auto played the smoking gun:

"FOR THE SCHOOL! THAT'S ALL THAT MATTERS! GLORY! PRIDE! WHO GIVES A SHIT ABOUT THE LIVES OF A BUNCH OF INSIGNIFICANT STUDENTS LIKE THAT GIRL!?"

...And other incriminating stuff.

The murmurs got louder:

"Holy...did Kobayakawa actually say that?"

"He did...and wait, did Kamoshida admit to...DUDE!"

"Oh my god...Kamoshida really IS a pervert..."

"SILENCE THESE PHONES!" Kobayakawa raged through the microphone, veins popping. "This is clearly an elaborate prank made by a digitally savvy prankster!"

"...He is true, you know. You can do a lot of things on the internet..."

"...Yeah...plus the audio quality isn't the best. Could just sound like those two..."

Akira gritted his teeth.  _These guys are delusional, I swear. I don't care if it's a phone, it's clear enough if you listen to it long enough!_

"Damnit...why aren't they getting it through their thick skulls already?" Ryuji despaired.

Kobayakawa was losing his breath from all of his yelling. "TEACHERS! HAVE EVERYONE SILENCE THESE PHONES!"

The gym doors suddenly opened.

"Kamoshida-sensei?" Kobayakawa stammered.

Makoto thought she was dreaming when she saw Kamoshida looking so down-trodden.

"I've...been reborn," Kamoshida uttered. "Hear me out for a minute..."

"Huh," Ann said in response. "What's even happening at this point?"

Kamoshida walked slowly to the stage and bent down, laying on his knees.

He opened his mouth to speak:

"I'm afraid I must corroborate this recording. It did happen. These statements are true...and then some. I...caused Shiho Suzui to kill herself."

Akira was breathless.

Makoto was breathless.

Ryuji, Ann, Mishima...

Breathless.

"I have...verbally abused students...physically abused my team...forced my teams to participate in my physical and..." Kamoshida choked. "...Sexual abuse of students...male and female alike."

Makoto put a hand to her mouth.

"I thought of this school as my castle. There was even a student that I sentenced to expulsion, simply because I didn't like them...I will, of course, rescind this, and assure those that acted in defense from my actions...that they are free from retribution."

Akira had gotten more than he asked.  _And then some...holy..._

Ryuji's mouth was open wide for his frizzy-haired friend.

Kamoshida started sobbing. "I am truly sorry...I am an arrogant, shallow...and shameful person. No, I'm worse than that. And the Principal assisted me in such evils. ...I will take responsibility...and end my life...the same way Suzui-san tried to take hers."

Kobayakawa now was deathly pale, his Kingdon in the making unraveling in front of him. He rushed over to bring Kamoshida off from the ground. "Get off the stage, goddamnit..."

The teachers started to rush to the front of the gym, about to shuffle the students out.

The students, though, we're riled.

"Unbelievable!"

"You teachers are deplorable!"

Some started to push on each other and on the teachers trying to escort them out.

Makoto could hear the murmurs become a cacophony of teenage yells, aimed at the two staff members on stage.  _I wouldn't be surprised if the students started storming the stage..._

Ann pushed out towards the front, her voice making it past the din. "Don't run, you bastard! Shiho's still alive even after all the things that made her want to die! You don't have the right to run! Especially by trying to simulate her attempt, you cheap son of a bitch!"

Her shrill voice calmed down the crowd.

"You're right," Kamoshida responded. "I should atone...let the law mete justice...I'm sorry, too, Takamaki-san. Soliciting you for sexual favors in return for Suzui's position was inappropriate of me. I will...turn myself over to the police. Someone...call them...please! Before I...change my mind."

"Already had Mishima do that," an airy voice behind Akira's back said devilishly.

Turning around, he saw Eiko with a smug smirk on her face. "My phone, Umbrella Boy."

Akira handed her back her phone. "This phone seems expensive."

"Sugar daddies," she said insolently. "Pretty useful. Especially for getting larger-battery phones."

Akira groaned. "Alright, Ms. Provocateur, you don't need to go there."

"What are you talking about? I am a journalist; I'm supposed to go past appropriate. It's a badge of honor."

"...Right."

"...God, the stories I can write with these. Gotta go! Gotta strike with the iron's hot. I'll give my aunt yours and Makoto's regards; this will help with her tabloid slump."

"Under aliases?"

"Of course."

Akira sighed in relief. "Good."

"She might...sniff around though and ask you out to a drink to squeeze the info out you though."

"...What did I say about-"

Eiko's eyes narrowed. "...I wasn't kidding. Any-WAYS...I'll keep you posted."

"Just a minute," Akira interjected. "I'm curious. Why even help us in the first place?"

She turned away. "...I have my reasons. They involve...Buchimaru pouches."

"Buchimaru...what the hell does that mean..."

Eiko looked sincere for a moment. "...Because...that means maybe...the people on the golden throne can be people. People like me..." She snapped back to her trickster self. "Anyway. See you around...Umbrella Boy. Don't spoil Makoto- _CHAN_  now!" As she walked away, she noticed something.  _Huh...my phone had a Buchimaru sticker on the back...Oh well._

Akira shuddered _...Makoto-CHAN? This...will make hanging out with Makoto more interesting then...I honestly would prefer Tae to give me an enema instead._

By this time, the teachers had gotten control of the students. Enough to escort them back to class amidst their disillusioned grumbles.

"Kurusu! Back to class," Ushimaru barked. "Immediately!"

Kawakami walked by, visibly perturbed. "...Like anyone wants to teach after this crap. This is..." She made a voice from the back of the throat, her shame twisting her insides.

Akira was going to follow behind her, but he figured he'd at least see Makoto another time to share his elation with her.

He scanned the river of students pouring into the hallways, not needing to hide their collusion in the face of a perfect resolution.

A minute passed, and he found her walking past.

They met each other eye to eye.

Akira smiled, not holding back his sense of relief.

That subsided, however. The confusion on her face said everything he had to know.

* * *

Makoto, like the other Student Council members (4 in total) sat by, listening passively as a maelstrom of administrative nightmares hit Shujin.

Nightmares big enough for jobs, salaries, and school activities to be on the chopping block.

"We are NOT cutting the volleyball team!" Yamauchi-sensei replied. "I know Kamoshida personally. He would never-"

"Seriously?" replied Hiruta-sensei, a second-year biology teacher. "I believe THAT is a sign you either knew along with him, or that you're didn't know him that well."

"Did anyone?" Ms. Usami, a math teacher, replied. "He seemed fine."

Kawakami scoffed. "Fine? FINE?"

"We get it," Ushimaru grumbled as he loosened his collar. "'Fine' is relative. But what is clear is that Kamoshida is LIKELY a pervert scumbag. And I don't say that since I teach ethics for a living."

Demigawa-sensei was leaning over in his chair, lost in thought. "Just...what now? Where's Kobayakawa? We're in the shit...we're so fucked. F-U-C-K-E-D, fucked."

"Stuck in his room, the poor sap," Ushimaru answered. "Locked the door too."

"Looks like guilt to me," Hiruta added. "Or a temper-tantrum."

"Demigawa does have a point, though. Shujin is in jeopardy."

Then came Ushimaru's bile. "What tipped you off: our retirements accounts plummeting, or the near-riot in the gymnasium? And here, I thought I was going to retire this year..."

Demigawa muffled through his hands as he hid his face in despair. "To be honest...we'd be lucky if some of us have jobs left after this."

Makoto had only heard about it just now.  _Another Lost Decade, they're calling it. Sis won't be happy about that. I suppose she was being modest about more hours at work._ _And here, I thought she was already preoccupied with so many things in her life._

Her spirits lowered.

_I just wished life would leave her enough room to breathe._

_But now, I don't think she'll even allow herself that, even if she were given the chance._

_And the crisis at hand...will give her the ultimate excuse to rationalize against doing that._

"Jobs?" Hiruta chortled. "How about we should prepare ourselves for the upcoming police investigation? How about that? Because if Kamoshida's claims are true, then we're dealing with multiple actors here. Some of them students. STUDENTS!"

Kawakami at this point was damp at the corner of her eyelids. "I know..." She sniffed. "We...can't...we can't bring back the volleyball team."

Yamauchi fumed. "WE NEED THE VOLLEYBALL TEAM! That MADE Shujin! Virtually all of our PTA donations came from that team."

She combed her hair furiously with her fingers. "...These kids need attention. Years of counseling at this rate. They don't need to be playing sports."

"Oh, there you go, about special attention..."

"YES I AM!" Kawakami screamed. "You can't expect me to wake up every morning, knowing that we have students here that will not recover from this! Forget the donations! I'm still a teacher, goddamnit! So are you! Even if I don't act all  _genki_ about it!"

Yamauchi was quiet.

"Now...I may be the youngest faculty member at this school..."

... _Nobody was keeping track_ _, Kawakami-sensei,_  Choumo mused.

"...But let me say this...what happened here was a tragedy. Leaving things be...is an even worse one..."

Makoto saw it again. The fire that she thought was snuffed out.

The fire that made her try, again and again last year.

And the one that would make her try now.

She opened her mouth. "Excuse me. Perhaps we should view it this way. A necessary evil, perhaps."

Her words produced a few weird glares from the faculty.

"What do you mean, Nijima-san?" Ushimaru replied.

She tried her best to sound older than she looked. "Would we suffer the negative reputation the team would cause? The events revealed today will continue to affect every aspect of Shujin's reputation. Disbanding the team would carry the least negative risk; to some, it might be viewed as a serious move. One towards repentance."

Ushimaru hummed. "...A practical suggestion. Plus, it would mean fewer fees to pay for equipment and such."

"...Damnit," Yamauchi uttered begrudgingly. "Where's Kobayakawa when you need him..."

"Speaking of which..." Hiruta interjected. "...Perhaps we should ask Kobayakawa to retire. Once he leaves his office. If not, then perhaps we can forward our suggestion to the board."

Ushimaru chuckled coldly. "Like we have a choice. He's a goddamn embarrassment to us all with that stunt he pulled today. I could have gotten quick nap instead of that."

"Then, it's agreed, then." Hiruta stared at Yamauchi. "With guns to our heads of course."

Yamauchi snarled.

"There is the matter of the OTHER rumors circulating around," Choumo then said.

"...You mean the ones about the transfer student," Demigawa said weakly.

... _Rumors?_

"There is talk that Kamoshida's confession was coerced with violence. There were students that Kamoshida was in conflict with; the transfer student was the most recent, and most troubling in a while."

"His devil-may-care attitude doesn't make me surprised to hear this," Ushimaru piped. "That punk has assault on his sheet. And Kobayakawa did mention a student reporting him for committing abuse on our students outside of school..."

Kawakami sighed haggardly. "This is paranoia talking. The only thing we've seen troubling out of the boy is recklessness, not violence."

Chuomo hummed in acknowledgment. "I'll at least agree that is we are to decide on the boy, let's not base it on students' gossip."

"Though...we can't just leave him on his own," Yamauchi then said. "Regardless of how Kamoshida confessed, the possibility still remains. A person like him, if he DID get Kamoshida to confess, put our ability to teach and guide students at risk. Legitimacy matters. He has to be overseen for the rest of his stay here at Shujin so that he doesn't make things harder in the long run."

The teachers (Chuomo, Hiruta, and Kawakami excluded) eyed each other nervously due to the other elephant in the room: that, by admitting the Kurusu boy under the assumption of a passion for reforming students, it attracted the attention of a VERY generous donor, with the promise of more to come.

For Makoto, though, she was fear-stricken; she made a duty...

_No...a vow._

A vow to nurture the just Ren.  _The Ren_ _that allowed today to happen, for better or worse._

Her eyes dimmed as much as Ren's chances.

Then, the idea came.  _I imagine this will only make Sis worry further, if she finds out about Ren's past. She'll look deeper. I'll only distract her again._

Her heart raced.

 _But...I want him here. With_   _me._..At _least for more than two weeks, goddamnit._ _Maybe..._ She turned red at such selfishness... _Maybe...for as long as I can._

She opened her mouth, her upper lip quivering.  _For better or worse, t_ _here's always a way...even if I need to stay until nightfall to make it happen._ "Perhaps...that responsibility should fall on a student."

* * *

"Man...I'm stuffed," Ryuji let out between groans.

Ann sat in the chair by Shiho's bed, relaxed to the point of slipping out of her chair. "Large dollops of whipped cream on top of the crepe definitely hit the spot..."

Akira took two seats, laying down outstretched while rubbing his belly. "Sorry; Shiho. We can't feed you outside food."

"It's ok..." Shiho said while smiling. "I'm just glad you visited. Sorry, though, about your head."

Akira smiled tightly, trying his best not to vomit. "Don't feel too bad. I was trying to shoot for a trendy facial scar."

Shiho giggled. "He has quite the tongue on him. I would have never guessed."

"You and me both," Ann giggled.

The mood then shifted to something more...awkward.

Ann spoke first. "You know, a lot happened today, Shiho. Kamoshida confessed to everything."

For a second, Ann feared that Shiho's eyeballs would pop out her sockets. "That's...unbelievable. How?"

"Magic," Akira replied. "All jokes aside...he just confessed out of nowhere. He seemed quite guilty, too."

"That's..." Shiho couldn't help but stare into the distance.

"...Well, say something," Ann pleaded.

"...Sorry."

"Huh?" the trio said in unison.

"Ann...I'm sorry you went through hoops over me. I knew you were pretending to go out with Kamoshida."

"WHAT?" Ryuji replied.

Shiho forced a smile; the extra dosage of meds made it easier. "Ann,"-she darted her eyes at Ryuji for a brief moment-"you can't hide your heart from me."

Ann, in a snap, turned red. "W-what the hell does that mean?"

"I'll leave that to the  _both_ of you."

Akira felt like airing out his pockets. "Shiho...I also found your phone, by the way."

Shiho cringed. "...Did someone...find anything on there?"

Akira sighed guiltily. "Just us."

"...Is Mishima ok?"

Akira cocked his head. "...Why you ask?"

"...Kamoshida...he made Mishima do terrible things. Terrible things to me...I still shiver at the thought."

Ann scowled. "2-C Mishima!?"

"Ann...you know, it's funny. Whenever Kamoshida forced him to do something to me...he'd always cry while doing it. Even after he warned him not to do so under the threat of a beating, he still did it. It felt...comforting knowing that he felt sorry for what he did."

"...Shiho..."

"In the end, having him feel guilty for me was the best thing he could do at the time. And I hope that that part of him holds on to him tight. I mean, I don't think we'll be friends. But at least, because of those moments...I think, if we were to meet again, I could see him eye to eye."

Ryuji had to sit down after hearing that. "Damn...Shiho, you're too saintly."

"Still...part of me hopes he'll spend the rest of his life groveling at my feet," Shiho said with an icy air that didn't match the soft smile she put on.

Ann nodded. "Good. I'd say that feeling guilty for the rest of his life is an appropriate punishment. I hope Kamoshida does the same. Rat bastard."

"You girls are too scary..." said an unnerved Ryuji.

"Another thing, Ann. I talked to my mom the other day. I...I think I should start over. At another school."

Ann whimpered, her hands flat on her bed. "I...I understand. But..." Ann sighed. She gave herself a moment. "...It's just nice having you around every day at school."

Shiho strained to wrap her pinky finger around Ann's. "Don't worry. You'll do just fine." Her eyes then lit up. "If it makes you feel any less bitter...maybe you should smash my phone for me."

"...Your phone?"

"Just smash it."

"But it looked expen-"

"Just. Do it." Her voice became more solemn. "Please. I rather not stare at it every day from now on. A phone's a phone."

Akira saw past the coded language. "I got it. It's like a change of scenery."  _Well then..._

He grabbed the phone and slammed it to the ground, popping the battery cover.

Shiho beamed. "See, Ann? He's quick to understand. He'll do just fine as your friend, Ann."

Akira motioned Ryuji and Ann to join. "Well, what are you guys waiting for?"

"...Screw it," Ann uttered.

Three sets of three feet later, and a pristine phone became shattered pieces of plastic and a piece of bent gorilla glass.

"Guys..." Shiho then upped her dosage slightly. "If you don't mind, I should rest a bit. I'm still...sore. But, thanks...for the new beginning."

A few minutes later, Shiho shut her eyelids. She kept the grin on her face as she went to sleep.

Akira scooped up the pieces. "I'll properly dispose of this stuff later."

Ann's breaths were lighter. "Man...that surprisingly felt good."

Ryuji's grin was wide. "Damn straight."

"I...feel weird," Akira then said, staring away in guilt.

"How so?" Ann replied.

He closed his eyes to think. "I kind of feel bad. We may have done some good today, but...honestly, it was almost a disaster. No thanks to me."

"What are you talking about," Ryuji replied. "That was A+ material we did just now! And we got Kobayakawa out of that, too!"

"Allegedly," Ann clarified.

"So what!? Akira...dude, you did great."

Ann fidgeted. "I mean, you were reckless a bit. But...we don't have to do it anymore, right? You shouldn't torture yourself over it."

A part of Akira sunk deeper after hearing that.

"It's funny you say that," Ryuji replied. "But I wanna keep going."

"Keep going?"

"Why not? It's like Mona said: anyone could have a Palace. And there's probably people too afraid to speak up against it."

"And now," Morgana added, "it seems like we have a way to convince our targets to reform while we steal their Hearts. An ideal outcome if I say so myself."

Ann's eyes ping-ponged from slit to slit. "...I'll leave it to you, then, Akira."

"Me?"

"Well, you were there first with Ryuji. Wouldn't seem fair to leave you out."

Morgana pushed away Akira's bag zipper. "I'll side with whatever Ann decides. Your call."  _Though...I won't be surprised by what he'll say._

Akira took a deep breath and blew out a steady, heavy jet of air. "Well...the only fear I have if we do keep going with this..."

He paused.  _...Damnit, this is supposed to a be yes or no question..._

He continued to trudge forward. "It's just...I was a lot less...hinged when I was younger. Quieter. More closed off. More...resentful. It's not a good feeling when you are like that. You see the world as it should be, and you're just standing by the sidelines, always wondering whether what you do leaves an impact on the world or doesn't burden someone else." He pursed his lips. "I've had a lot taken away from me... and one of these days, I'll get around to talking about it. For now, though...getting him in that world felt great. I felt like I robbed him of everything that made him. His life, his wants, his...'tastes'. I could only dream of such things, doing that to people that deserved it."

A tremor formed in his hand; he pictured for a moment guys in yellow sunglasses. It was a small tremor, but it was one that made the hairs on Ann stand up a bit out of caution.

"But I guess, at the end of the day, I can only hope that I don't go back to that again. This...this helps." He took another breath. "Yes. We'll keep doing it."

"Akira..." Ann replied. "...Fine. I wanted to apologize for Shiho for so long. But now...if I just ignore people in a similar situation, I'd just be insulting her directly. It's settled then. I'm along for the ride, then. Though...do you mind leading then? You seem quick-witted enough, and willing to put in the effort of planning these things out."

"Hey, it's not like I'm good at that stuff," Ryuji added. "Ann knows that too well."

Akira grinned. "That's fine with me. I will say though...I'll be a bit more systematic next time."

"And under my tutelage," Morgana boasted, "you fledglings will do just fine."

Akira scoffed. "Fledglings? Go preen somewhere else."

"And hey.." Ryuji then put a hand on his shoulder. "I'll tell you this. Even if you don't believe it yourself, Ann and I..Shiho...we'll remember what you did today for the years to come. And you can take that to the bank. Trust me." Ryuji took out his phone and pulled up the Phan-Site. "Take a look at the posts. I ain't the only one."

Akira looked at the page; Mishima went above and beyond, putting a chat box on the Phantom Thieves website.  _The site was supposed to get people riled up and leave Kamoshida on edge. You're just too bored, then._

He scrolled down. It was flooded with anonymous replies about Kamoshida's confession:

"Thank you, Phantom Thieves. You've given me the courage to keep moving forward."

"Thank you for giving us hope..."

Akira teared up a bit.  _...Damn..._ "Ok, then. One condition: we decide unanimously who the targets will be. Seems fair?"

Ryuji and Ann nodded in agreement.

"For now, guys, let's keep our heads down. Especially you, Frizzy Hair. You've stirred the pot enough already."

"Fine, fine. I'll take your word for once then."

His phone buzzed.

It was Makoto.

 **MAKOTO:** It's been a long day.

 **MAKOTO:**  I know we haven't had a chance to speak since yesterday...

 **MAKOTO:** But could we talk tonight? In person?

 **MAKOTO:** There's a lot I need to go over with you, if you don't mind.

His mind went back to the look on her face early morning. She seemed uncertain then.  _Here's to hoping she isn't uncertain now_ _about what we've done._ "Well, guys, I have to head out."

"Alright then!" Ryuji yelled. "The Phantom Thieves of Hearts are here to stay!"

"Just the Phantom Thieves," Akira suggested. "More concise."

"Fine with me," Ann replied. "See you tomorrow at school, then."

Akira waved back as he started to walk.

Something though bothered Ann. A small detail.

The tremor in his hand, the one he got when he started to talk about his past...

The one that gave a picture to what his "less hinged" self could act like...

It was still there. In bursts.

* * *

The night lights outside Kobayakawa's office turned on.

The Principal laid slumped, staring at the ceiling with dried tears sticking his furrows together.

He was tired. He knew either the teachers or some of the superintendent would send him to pasture for today.

Sleeping for him needed extra padding. More than his leather office chair could provide.

He prepared to head back home.

He turned the knob, not noticing the shadow outside his door.

He opened the door, taken surprised by a gray-hooded man.

A gray-hooded man in a black oni mask with a voice changer embedded in it. "Work visit."

"B-but..."

"Sit," the voice whispered.

Kobayakawa fell backward trying to do a quick about-face. "W-what are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to give you an update."

"B-But in person!?"

"Indeed, this is...new. Circumstances such as these require a personal touch." He pulled out a prescription bottle and slipped a pill under the mask. "You know, my "guys" kept an eye on him. Veerry peculiar, how Kamoshida was acting."

Kobayakawa's collar was damp. "I-it's too late...he already confessed."

The masked man hissed. "Oh...I know that. Believe me; EVERYONE knows that now, though I have a solution for that. No, I was referring to his behavior before."

"...What do you mean?"

"Our profile didn't match. The proud, vainglorious washout on paper became a sorry mess, praying for forgiveness in his room."

"How did you know that?"

"I did say I had a guy running IT; we do have access to his phone microphone, after all."

Kobayakawa shuddered slightly at the thought that his  _true_  boss, of all people, would have this much capability.  _...Has he been monitoring all of us?_ "So...uh...I hope you plan on dealing with my requests. I was under the impression you're the best of the Janitors."

"In the way I deem fit."

"O-of course."  _What does that mean? ...Should I ask about it then?_ "I wonder, though, about your methods. In your opinion, do these 'shutdowns' offer discretion?"

The mask went mum.

"...Sir?"

"Humor me. Do you think you're a just man?"

Kobayakawa's knees felt weak. "I-I...I tried to do good things?"

"Unconvinced I see. How about this? What is your definition of 'good'?"

"Umm...I believe in the s-school. If the s-school benefits, then everyone benefits." He smiled awkwardly. "T-that's good."

The mask chuckled. "I know you have a daughter. An  _estranged_ daughter."

Kobayakawa made choked sounds.

"I wonder how she would feel knowing it be ok for the gym teacher here to personally rape your daughter if it meant the school benefits. Note I mean the school, and not everyone at the school."

More choked sounds.

"But then again...in our little band of degeneracy, rebranding is par for the course. 'Overlord' was always good at picking the worst of the worst. Look at me, for example."

"...Please..."

The mask giggled. "Oh...the look on your face. Sorry, I can't help but scaring first-timers like this."

"F-first timers?"

"Relax. I'm just...chewing time away. It's not like anyone's going to be coming into here. As for the four...we'll make everything go away. It's a large order, but...we prefer things to be secret."

Kobayakawa took a gulp. "I...that's reassuring."

The mask knew it was about time _._

"So...how will you fix everything? With the mental shutdown?"

The mask hummed. "...You'll find out soon enough."

The pain hit Kobayakawa everywhere. His extremities gyrated, repeatedly colliding on the table.

Several seconds passed, and the damage was done. The black sludge seeped from the mouth, eyes, and ears.

He knew already the other Mask had made the blow himself in the Other World. In Mementos. He made doubly sure by snapping his fingers in front of his rolled-up eyes.  _No darting. Good. The Berserking worked as intended._

He pulled out the gauze pads; he had to make him seem relaxed before he committed.  _Small dabs here and there._

He put the damp pads in a jar, with the intent of disposing of them discreetly.

He popped another two pills; he always needed double for the framing part of the job.

He kept on speaking, moving his limp arms carefully. "You know...I'm always a fan of these conversations. I'm not good with them, you see. I...always hate opening up myself to new people. Strangers. They always betray you. And they try to get friendly with you to stab you in the back or to serve themselves. Kind of like...how you were trying to be just now." He waved a loose finger at him. "You're like the rest of them; I'm kind of disappointed. But you see..." his voice got lowered. "I know better. When I was young, I found out that if I wanted to talk to someone...I'd just have it solved in the Other World. And then they shut up, and I would speak." He cleaned into closer to the Principal's ear. "The cleanup was always a hassle. But having to confide in someone and never allowing them the chance of using what you said against you? The most incredible feeling..."

'Kobayakawa looked relaxed enough. It was time for the final touch. He pulled the small revolver from his waist.  _I made sure your sausage fingers fit around this one. My 'friend' in the Other World gave me the heads up._

He curled Kobayakawa's finger around the trigger. He then opened the barrel and loaded one shot in line with the hammer.

He put it towards Kobayakawa's head, glistening even when bathed in the yellow lights outside.

"In the end, for you, it's like what an old childhood friend told me while he cared for me in between Shinto prayers: it's all a matter of aesthetics _._ Black Mask, signing off."

The hammer went down, and in a flash, every one of his orifices let out a crimson gush. His noise, in particular, became an open faucet for this stuff.

The mask sighed. "Boring."  _I prefer hunting more Kirijo lapdogs than this dealing with this gutter trash. Four targets? Ridiculous. Who the hell does this FORMER bastard think I am?_

He left the room, answering his phone while walking. "Done. A loose end cleared up. On standby."

He took off his mask, keeping his hoodie lower under he got to the car waiting for him outside.  _Once again, the most reliable 'friend' is yourself. No one else._

Still, that job wasn't  _entirely_ boring.

For once, he had a target that he genuinely enjoyed taking out.

Plus...

Kamoshida's shadow was noticeably absent. The other Black Mask saw it for himself: the castle, the throne, the slaves. Every single wretched detail. So to see it inaccessible...

It was...

Interesting.  _Perhaps..._ _I've found someone who will complete me...the Yin to my Yang._

He had a toothy grin on his face. And he didn't need to take extra pills to get it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another splurge guys. Apologies for delays
> 
> I'll note that I wrote quite a bit. So much so that, the ways things were put together, I felt like making this part the final part of the final chapter instead of the epilogue. And since I kept you guys strung on for so long...
> 
> Enjoy the double update!
> 
> (Also, don't forget to pour syrup on the pancake.)
> 
> 11/15: I added also a few extra details towards the end; details I was actually going to save for the next chapter....but seeing the draft I have now, they probably would be better here than later. So...yeah, another update.


	21. Arc I Epilogue: Swear To Me

He waited on the roof for her, sitting and staring up at the soon-to-be night sky.

He kept tapping away, and not only due to the cold fog settling around his feet. Morgana had dozed off at this point, curled into black fluff amidst his clutter.  _Oversized rat._

He decided to let it be.

He glanced at his phone the sixth time in five minutes. I _hope Prez didn't get cold feet._

He then heard the door open behind him.

He turned around to find Makoto, a small smile visible in the faint moonlight.  _That's promising,_ he mused.

She walked towards him, arms behind her, and propped up a chair next to him. "Thanks for coming."

"Seemed like the best thing to do. I felt bad having to leave you behind."

Makoto looked down at her lap. "You don't need to bend your back worrying over me. I'd...feel bad if you did anything drastic because of me."

"...You're beating yourself up again. You can relax. We did ok."

Then, the silence came.

A few minutes later, Makoto broke it. "Kobayakawa's resignation is more than assured. If it's not the students or the teachers, then it will be the board. And for all three scenarios, they will be in the face of incontrovertible evidence: Kamoshida's testimony."

He felt the flutters of anxiety in his chest... _Well, Renren. How should you explain that away?_

Makoto continued. "It's...all too much to comprehend. When I was in the infirmary...I was helpless. I was stuck, thinking of all of the ways we were going to fail. How I failed you. But this...it turned out so well. It's so overwhelming..." She wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. "You have my eternal gratitude."

He felt flushed under the eyes. "Well, um...thanks. This was still your plan, though. Stop acting like you were just on the sidelines."

"I-I know, I just...wish things went smoother. When things go wrong...I guess it always feels like the problems occur because I do them."

His eyes locked on to hers. "...It's a bad habit for me as well."

Their eyes locked. Something about the moonlight coming in made staring at each other oh so comforting.

Makoto darted away.  _...Best not to overdo it. Even if...his eyes feel so good to look at, after such a long day._ "It'll be messy, these next couple of the weeks. They say the country's going to go through a rough time. They figured cutting back will mean that the volleyball team won't be coming back anytime soon."

"They should be disbanding it for other reasons," Ren bitterly muttered.

"I know. But I am worried about the team members. Some of them have been playing for a while. Having no team...that's going to be a change. Part of me wishes they didn't have to be collateral damage in all of this."

"I disagree about them being collateral damage. Perhaps stepping back will give them something better to look forward to. You can't always live your life under old Kamoshida's form of camaraderie. What would they fall back onto if they got a new teacher? Old habits die hard."

"It's hard to say; I just hope they're helped, regardless. I will admit, though, anyone who would be willing to be a volleyball coach or any coach at this rate, probably would need to be as desperate for results as Kamoshida was. Especially with the headwinds the school is facing."

"Yeah, well, when they find someone worth a damn, I'll be cheering them, for sure."

"There's another matter...starting today, you'll be a Student Council Member. Deputized, but it will last the entire year."

Akira knitted his brows.

Makoto groaned. "There's no need to look at me weird like that.

"I know...but why!?"

"We've stirred the pot a bit. I'm really sorry; I had a feeling the plan might put you under scrutiny. People are less likely to suspect the Student Council President had a hand in such matters."

Ren sighed. "...Continue."

"...To explain more, here were rumors. The teachers didn't know how to act in the face of Kamoshida and Kobayakawa's scandal, so they cut their losses, assumed you had a hand in leaking all of that, and wanted you overseen during your time. They wanted a faculty member to handle it...but I volunteered to handle it. My insistence made them say yes."

"You volunteered...to be like my probation officer?"

She smirked. "To them, yes. But in reality, no. I plan on being your confidant. At your side...always."

Ren beamed. "Good. Though...Confidant?"

"What about it?" she said defensively. "You...don't like it, don't you?"

"No no, NO. I..." Ren was hot under the collar. "I love it. Just...you don't usually wax poetic like that."

"I guess you're just a terrible influence, then," she cooed.

He suddenly didn't feel cold anymore after hearing her getting all sultry. "You know, I'm glad you freeish today. I assume you would be with your Sis enjoying yourself. Now, close your eyes."

Her eyes lit up. "Huh?"

"Please?"

"I-I mean...What are you planning to do?"

"...It's a surprise."

She had read the tropes too many times in her manga to think what else he could mean.

She closed her eyes expectantly.  _After all...it had to come to this. All of our bloodhounding...the fog. It's like in one of my movies. It feels just right. To be swept away._

She then felt something placed on her head. Something soft.

"Open your eyes."

She opened them and saw Ren wearing... _A LIMITED EDITION CHRISTMAS BUCHIMARU BEANIE!?_

"I was lucky to find two. Happy birthday."

She patted her head, realizing she too had one of those collectible beanies, shaped like Buchimaru's face. And with yellow, stuffed stars hanging down the sides to boot. "I...how did you find this!?"

"I looked around."

"Even with...all of the planning...but then, how did you know my birthday was today!?"

"Um...funny things happen when you leave out your wallet, Makoto."

And, from her eyes, the tears welled. "I...doing this..." She hunched down, a hand on her chest and her voice now a small whisper. "I...thank you. You don't know how much...just, thank you."

_No, miss President...thank you._

She then reached for a hug. "Unfortunately, you don't have cake, so I will help myself to something warm. It is a bit chilly, after all."

 _Yes, please._ "Alright then." He obliged her, and right when the chill started to pick up, making her tense and hold on to her tighter than she held him.

Upward, the night sky was clear. A dark abyss worth exploring.

He stared up, wondering if he might be lucky to find a twinkle.  _Just like those clear, still nights by the sea._ "Hey...you don't need to go anywhere, do you?"

Makoto shook her head. "Sis is busy. Like...always."

"You mind staying here a while, then? Getting lost in the sky, I mean."

"I suppose..." she smiled with her eyes closed. "...I can't complain about that."

The two laid on the ground and looked upwards.

For Makoto, it was probably for the best.  _All of this staring...it's not good for my heart, I imagine._

The sky was now pitch black.

His mind wandered:

_Sis._

_It's been a while. Got distracted again. My apologies. I usually would do this properly at the butsudan...but this will have to do._

_Make sure to send Mom my regards._

_You know, I kept him safe. And others, like I promised._

_But...I'm sorry._

_I guess I'm still a selfish kid in a way. Believing in a future beyond the present. A "what could be" only gleaned from the window of my room...or from seeing someone discarded by the wicked._

_But now, after all the time spent grieving and being guilt-ridden, and after all the time standing by while the world became an intolerable place to live in, I understand now._

_I'm just bad at apologizing._

_I should have apologized a long time ago by taking more pages out of your book. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, after all._

_When you came back that summer, after getting expelled from Gekkoukan, you told me that being a normal student there was like being in a Sunken Place. A place of either your or others' creation. Where you just observe from a box separated from everything. Where you don't feel like a person._

_Then, something bad happened. Something that forced you to get out of that Sunken Place: exposing that PTA scandal. Or, something like that._

_I didn't get it then; I thought you were still upset about being expelled, and you were trying to be all poetic and failing at it._

_I guess, now, I realize, for the longest time, I've been in a tug of war between "everything" and a Sunken Place._

_And recently, after brushing up against so much injustice...the type that took Mom and you away, I teetered that line._

His hand started to shake.

_But, I got out. Again._

Makoto held his shaking hand.  _That tremor in his hand..._

It harkened back to their first moment on this roof. She imagined him holding back quite a bit then. And she imagined he still held quite a lot deep down.

Enough that the thought of what he was capable of in that state terrified her the same way she saw how Kamoshida fell to his knees.

"Ren?"

"Yeah, Makoto?"

"Swear to me."

"Huh?"

She stared deep into his eyes. "Swear to me that you didn't do anything reckless to force today to happen. If I knew that you forced Kamoshida to confess against his will..."

He was calm, even when faced with her pleading eyes.  _In the end...that smug doctor had a point. The best thing, when faced with any problem, is to fix it. No questions asked._

_And when faced with a world continually devolving into shit and enforcing laws that further dehumanize us.._

_I have to try. In Mementos...even in the damn Student Council...I'll have to try._

_That's my vow to the world. The law that I follow._

He put some of his fingers between hers. "I didn't force anything out of him."

_That's how I'll stay away from the Sunken Place._

_"_ I swear."  _Makoto...I'm sorry._

Her eyes quivered as she analyzed for the thinnest trace of insincerity in his resolute eyes.

And yet...

She let something give. And for her, she let herself give into hope. The hope that, in the face of the darkness brewing inside of him, he could still do the right thing. With her help, of course.

She figured, for tonight, she'd stargaze with him. "Ok."

**ARC I END**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HOO BOY!
> 
> Apologies for the delays. This part, and me combing over it, is why.
> 
> And so, Akira...Ren...whatever, earns a small glimmer of redemption, and Makoto learns to shut off her mind for a minute and enjoy the daisies.
> 
> Thank you guys for reading; it's been a long journey, and while I think there are some things here in my rendition of the Kamoshida arc I feel like I could improve on for future arcs...
> 
> I'm just glad I had the chance to write it all out.
> 
> As for the next arc...
> 
> Well, it's probably going to be two weeks before you see the beginning of that. Mostly since I'll be busy trying to frame things together in my mind, and the other being that I want to draft another small shot.
> 
> Either way, I hope you guys enjoyed what I had so far.
> 
> Stay tuned!


	22. Arc 2, Chapter 1: The New Normal, Pt. 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ...What's that smell behind the door?

4/28

Lines.

A bunch of lines on the large LCD screen.

Funny thing, how a line graph can make a large crowd of people trace it out with their eyes.

Make their palms sweaty at the sight of it.

Make their knees weak.

Be consumed by long drops. And not just the ones on the graphs.

Akira stared up at the screen with them, hearing the same things Leblanc's TV told him while scarfing down the umpteenth bowl of LeBlanc curry:

Financial Armageddon.

He shrugged.  _Stock prices? A bit too early to be worrying about that, anyway._

"So dramatic, these news announcements," Morgana commented, curled tightly in Akira's bag. "You'd think the world's going to end when you hear this stuff."

"Good morning, Ren."

Her voice was better than any dramatic news announcement. "Morning, Prez."

She cleared her throat, poking her head above the detective manga she was reading with her steady, auburn eyes. "I should remind you that your formal introduction to the Council is today."

"Fine. Miss President, then."

The two started to walk down, passing a homeless man who then rushed up to them, close enough to see the plaid beads of his scarf. He raised a sign of an orange sun in front of them. "THE END TIMES ARE COMING! BUTTRESS YOURSELF WITH THE GRACE OF THE SUN GOD!"

Akira groaned; the  _chu-hai_  off this man's breath burned his nostrils. "Excuse me, we need to get going to class." He lightly shoved the man, rough coat and all, out of the way, with a startled Makoto in tow by a loose arm.

She lingered on the feeling of his hand being around her wrists. "You know, I was about to ignore him myself. You didn't have to be so curt."

A few steps later, he let go of Makoto's hand. "Sorry; a bit impatient today." The hand that hovered near his bag had that tremor again. He even had a burst blood vessel in the corner of his right eye. One from staring restlessly over the workbench, night after night since the small taste of vindication several days before.

"Are you anxious, Ren?"

He blew a hot jet of air, goosebumps forming under the arms of his jacket.  _More half-truths, then._ "Regardless of the strings attached, student administration and being under the public eye aren't really my thing. No offense."

She sighed in return. "I suppose I'm like that too. I did prefer the silence of a library cubby and the smell of bleached pages over a room full of people."

Akira smirked. "You're smiling."

She reflexively put a hand over her mouth.  _Damnit...looking like an idiot again._  "Well, anyways, given how adaptable you seem to be, despite all of the drama at school, I don't think you'll have too much of a hassle."

"Yeah...drama."  _Biggest understatement ever._

The subway to Aoyama pulled up. Then, the rush to get inside began.

The two hovered next to each other, trying to find a small space for both of them to stand. Luckily, they found a place to sit, although they ended up squished together shoulder-to-shoulder.

For Akira, being squished up next to her wasn't such a bad prospect at all. An interesting smell drifted up Akira's nose.  _Like...sea spray?_ Makoto, from the crown of her head to the tip of the zipper on the neck of her shirt, was layered with this stuff.  _Nice. Though..."_ I didn't know you fancied manga."

"A book is a book. Any opportunity to imbibe in one is sacred."

"...Any book?"

She glared. "I suggest you stop with such foolishness." In the corner of her mouth, she started to show teeth.

And, with those evil set of eyes in her, he stopped there.  _Prez is all business today. She REALLY is taking her new "job" seriously._ _It's not helping me._  "Any word on Kobayakawa?"

"None. Unfortunately."

The thought of Kobayabawa's being unaccounted for boiled his blood. He interlocked his fingers together, attempting to squeeze out some catharsis. "You said your sister was a cop. Maybe she'd have some news on that."

She smiled while casting her eyes away.  _After what you've possibly done? Probably not the best._   _Plus_..."The Tokyo police is a large organization. I can't really bother my sister about this stuff. I mean, she was tasked to handle more crimes of a...sexual nature, but even then, she would think it's not worth investigating. A witness has already come forward, after all; Shujin wouldn't be on her radar."

"...She wouldn't care still, even if it's a school her sister goes to?"

"Even if."  _...Maybe._

"That's...dedication?"

Makoto knew that it was many tiers past dedication. She frowned, her sighs drifting into airy growls of frustration. Like she was tired of saying "Even if."

... _That_ _funk on her face...Renren, you never cease to screw with her._ "I'm sorry. On another note...I like the perfume, you know. It smells nice on you."

Morgana grunted in disgust while in the bag.

She lit up for a moment, then slinked back into her pages, stealing a small glance back at her frizzy-haired ward.  _...If only he knew I stole a spray from Sis's own bottle, early in the morning. Sometimes, he makes me get the weirdest ideas..._

The train doors closed, and the rail began to vibrate and clatter forward.

* * *

A teen with brown hair observed from a distance as the train doors closed.

Leaning on a subway pillar, he smirked. "Nijima-san, Nijima-san...you seem...chummy with him."

He then started to walk to his intended line, metal briefcase in hand. "Enough distractions. Another consultation, another meeting with Sae."  _And maybe...more sushi?_

The spittle began to form in the back of his mouth. "Ahh, lookie me. I'm quite the little pig. Anyway, I have a new job waiting for me."

A few stops, and a 15-minute walk later, he found himself in front of a square concrete building facing a verdant forest shielding imperial castles in the distance. "Tokyo Metropolitan HQ," he muttered, standing in front of it and feeling dwarfed.

Entering the building, the receptionist bowed politely, a deeper bow that betrayed his age. "Goro-san. The director is waiting."

He gave a saccharine smile that, much to her shame, made her swoon deep down.

The elevator ride was quick, leaving only a few seconds to fix the red tie under his beige coat, which displayed his school emblem prominently: "Seven Sisters."

The door began to open, and with that, he snuck in a quick brush of his soft, brown hair.  _...Even with all the hair products, a single strand always ruins my view._ He sighed.  _Still...I suppose the cameras would disapprove if I weren't cautious enough._ _Even if I'm not in front of them._

He stepped out of the elevator and walked down the marble hallway. He peered down at the blurry mirror image on the floor; it was more out of reflex rather than actual concern at this point. He then knocked on a large set of wooden doors.

"Come in," said a voice on the other side.

He opened the door to find Sae standing in front of the SIU director.

"Sae. Long time no see," he greeted, smiling  _that_ smile once again. "What do we have now on our plates this time?"

"Goro-san. Sae-san. I'll keep this brief. There have been some...flare-ups in Shinjuku. Increased activity, to say the least."

"How much?" Sae wondered. "You're not one for euphemisms."

"I just don't feel like reciting a long list. All the events are suspected to be related to criminal finances and racketeering, Large transfers in cash, if our boys in surveillance are worth their salaries."

"Which is why you have me, then," the brown-haired boy said with bright eyes.

"You seem enthusiastic," Sae commented. "Show business not paying enough?"

"...Actual detective work is worth its weight in gold," he responded.

Sae cringed.  _It's like he doesn't know the difference between the real world and the stage..._ "I'm surprised surveillance is dedicating so much time to the clans. They haven't been that active since...several years back."

"Yes, well..." the director said. "...Suffice it to say, I've received orders as of late to increase the pressure on the families. The yakuza, Taiwanese mafia, all of them. My superiors...well..."

"I get it," the showman detective said, smirking while having a balled hand on his chin. "Your superiors need something to tout...especially if faced with potential scrutiny from a new Prime Minister. Which, given the state of things, is rather likely."

The director grumbled. "...Spoken like a true Detective Prince."

Sae imagined her eyes narrowing. ... _Or a stoat._  "Organized crime though should lead on this, no?"

He took a deep breath. "Do you want to be on this case or not?"

Goro shrugged his shoulders. "I mean, I'm personally fine with taking all of the glo-"

"That won't be necessary," Sae shouted forcefully. She quickly ebbed back to her neutral voice. "I was commenting that it seemed natural, given that you assigned me sex crimes recently, that you'd try to assign someone from there instead of me. Unless...you suspect something of that nature."

"Correct," the director replied. "The activity is centered around areas where...people of the night hover. Just to cover my bases, I have someone from organized crime on standby. He specializes in homicide as well, if we, unfortunately, find ourselves dealing with a major escalation..." he checked his watch. "Sorry, he should have been-"

The doors behind them suddenly rush open, producing after the whoosh of cold air, the low growls of an old man with something lodged in his trachea. A wizened set of eyes, under the shadow of a fedora, stared at the trio in the room.

He opened his mouth, barely, glaring at the two youngest. "Director. I hope I won't be babysitting."

"No, you won't," Sae replied.

His flip phone buzzed. He opened it to find a message:  _The smell's pretty intense. It's possible._  He looked back upward. "Bye then."

"W-wait," Akechi uttered. "Aren't you going to introduce yourself?"

"Sae can do that," she grunted. "After all...we're practically family."

She narrowed her smoky eyelids.  _You haven't earned that right. No amount of time can change that._

"Umm...Sae-san, what does he mean-"

"Shut up, Akechi," she responded, the corner of her mouth brandished. "Director, the answer is yes. Send the details to my desk. Excuse me." She bowed and then walked briskly out of the room.

"Excuse me as well," Akechi said, bowing to the director as well. "We'll talk about consultation fees later."

Akechi quickly walked to join Sae. "Nijima-san, who was that man?"

She stopped and snapped her neck to stare down Akechi. "My dad's 'partner.'"

"But, you mentioned before your dad didn't do partners."

"He didn't. But this man...he practically made the Lieutenant who he is. He's the reason why Nijimas...and Shinjuku don't mix."

* * *

Makoto had the desks hastily assembled, like always.

She noticed how most of them stared unnecessarily at their wringing hands instead of her and the new addition to the team. Except for the only other female on the Council.

Akira was surprised as well by this miss: her poofy, orange hair, the poofy pink sweater flashing shamelessly in his face, and the steady, warm glare she directed towards the two, amogst other things.  _She reckons it's business as usual, by the looks of it. I suppose it's this, or seeing the guys fidgeting in their seats like clowns, so I can't complain._  He then sighed heavily.  _Seriously_... _I thought with Kamoshida gone, I'd at least get less comical responses from the student body. But this? From some of Student Council members, no less!?_

Makoto turned to her left, and saw him grimacing. And, given the tension in the air, she couldn't blame him. Despite this, she started the agenda at hand. "I appreciate the meeting on a short notice. Now, considering we have a new member, I feel like introductions are in order."

And with that, the Council rose from their seats. Akira started first. "Akira Kurusu, your new deputy." He extended a slight bow to the rest of the group.

Next, the monocled, eczema-riddled boy to his left. "Kuro W-wakabayashi. First-year representative and Treasurer. At your s-service."

Akira couldn't help but draw the most tenuous of connections ... _Are_ _all the first years stuttery messes? Ugh...that reminds me. I should check up on Mishima later._

Then, the other female; Akira then saw the band-aids around her fingers. "Haru Okumura. Secretary; I'm the newest by a year. Hope we can get along!"

 _That last name, and those fingers...no wonder she seems familiar_. "So do I. Though, I am curious...do you handle roses a lot?"

She stared back, eyes widened. "Are you stalking me, sir? You know, I can have you sued."

Akira cocked his head back, responding with a crazed look on his face.  _I know she's trying to joke...but after Kamoshida..._ "I mean, it's just the fingers-"

She giggled. "Just kidding! No need to look so serious."

"...She likes to tease here and there," Makoto added.

"I know my fingers are a bit jarring. Yes, I do. The sudden showers this time of the year makes planting roses ideal. Though...they're quite painful when they bloom. Anyway, let's move on."

Next was:

"Watanabe. Isshi Watanabe." He turned his anguished eyes away, arms crossed. "I mostly handle...athletic funding. I hope you won't make too much noise from here on."

Akira grunted.  _Athletic funding? You did that on purpose, didn't you?_

"And I am Makoto Nijima. I don't think introductions are necessary."

Everyone then sat back down, the boys still rigid in the lower back, as if they were ready to go darting off the room at the slightest provocation from the new kid.

"Now," Makoto continued. "Let's begin. Now, Akira-kun here will be with us for rest of the year, as outlined by the faculty. We should outline what his responsibilities should be."

"R-responsibilities?" Kuro uttered.

"Yes, Wakabayashi, responsibilities. Kurusu, despite the troubling rumors about him, has enough trust from Kawakami and me that we can say he will NOT cause trouble for us. More than that, I figured having his rotate between the four of us and having him assist you all your separate duties would be a great usage of his time."

"I figure extra help with my sustainability garden on the rooftop wouldn't hurt," Haru said, hands clasped anticipatorily.

Watanabe continued to sulk in his corner of the table. "Spreading the intimacy around the table, Nijima-san. Very generous."

Haru's eyes widened. "Don't sling imaginary mud, Watanabe."

"No, Okumura-san, I'll indulge him." Her voice becomes noticeably low and icy. "Yes, you're going to have time with him. YOU especially are going to show him your neck of the woods with RESPECT. Otherwise, I'll find some 'creative' tasks for you. Or for anyone who tries to do such a thing."

The room turned silent.

Kuro slinked his head deeper into his chest.

Watanabe turned white.

Haru giggled under the veil of her fingers.

And all Akira could think of as he admired her up close:

_I owe her some ramen._

Then, the knock on the door. It was Ushimaru of all people. "Sorry, but turns out we won't have school today. Lucky bastards."

Everyone eyebrows raised up as high as they could.

"...What happened?" Makoto asked.  _It would have to be worse than Shiho to prompt this..._

"None of your business, Nijima-san. Save the write-up on the Kurusu punk for later. Go home. And don't forget to study, all of you! Midterms are in a couple of weeks!" Ushimaru then trudged off...

In the direction of Kobayakawa's office.

* * *

Ushimaru spent ten more minutes scanning for stragglers. After a while, he found himself in front of Kobayakawa's door.

"I'm back," Ushimaru said bitterly to the beat cop also by the door. "You want me to pace more, or are we done here?"

"Yeah...that's it."

"Good. I guess then interviewing students about that Kamoshida creep wasn't good enough for you." Ushimaru turned around, but suddenly was struck with the worst pain. "Ahh...my back..."

"Get a heating pad. Walk it off."

The long rim hat-wearing detective from before passed a hunched Ushimaru, carrying facial masks.

"Endo-san," the beat cop greeted, hand to his forehead in a salute. "I've advised the faculty to send the students home. At the very least, the third floor has been fully evacuated."

"Good," he grunted. He turned to Ushimaru, who was now by the stairs. "Teacher? Anyone have a key to this place?"

"The principal kept his own key and maintained it himself."

"How polite," Endo chortled. "These teachers care about the sanctity of the principal's personal space. Go hobble on."

Ushimaru grumbled down the stairs.

"Sir, shouldn't we have waited to confirm before excusing the entire school?" the beat cop wondered.

Endo glared a long while at the baby-skinned cop in front of him. "You a few years removed from the academy?"

"...Yes."

He leaned in closer, close enough that the beat smelled the chew in the back of his mouth. "Then, I'll say that if you've been in the business as long as I have, then you get a feeling for these things."

"Well, sir, what's the feeling?"

He then put on the mask. "You too, rookie."

The beat cop slipped the mask over his face.

"To answer your question, we know that the last place this guy was. Here. Nobody reported seeing him, and the IMSI catchers show that he either left his phone here...or he never left." He took a strained whiff next to the keyhole, gagging a little. "And by that smell...I say he's festering."

"But sir, what about the key?"

The detective then pulled off a stub-nose from his coat. "And rely on those feckless cowards? You think, after seeing the news about this place, they would show some initiative? Let's not waste time."

He then took the gun handle and struck a hole in the door window.

He then looked through the hole. "Damn...you're big."

"What is it, Lieutenant?"

"That, my friend, is why you evacuate people away. The smell is killer." He flipped over his phone, having a tired expression on his face. "Get a coroner to Shujin Academy. We got a bloater here."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes: Easing into this one guys! It's been a turbulent week at work, and I admittedly been trying to get back into the groove of writing again.
> 
> I'm hoping to get the next part out Friday! (And with that, another round of special guests in this AU.)
> 
> Stay tuned!


	23. A2, Ch. 1: The New Normal, Pt. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Akira can't catch a break. Along with Iwai.
> 
> Also...
> 
> Butterflies. That too.

"So, she have you fill out charters or something?" Ryuji said, breaking midway into a smirk.

Akira shoved him out of his seat on the train, spacious given the time they left. "Shut up, you idiot."

Ann sat across from them, glancing periodically at a fashion magazine. "You really shouldn't be rubbing things in, Ryuji."

"Relax. Trying to lighten things up, that's all."

"And failing," Ann muttered. "Spare him a little. He didn't sign up for it. Though...I have to admit, I'm curious, too. You get any impressions working with her?"

"Serious, demure, gets scary and bossy when she wants to." He cracked an insouciant grin. "Sounds like heaven."

She glared sternly at him. "Don't joke around."

"Seriously. Just...relax. She may be a bit...enthusiastic about her responsibilities, but she's not going to wring me out to dry."

She stayed silent. ... _And yet, you still got slapped on the wrist with this whole Council business._

Akira continued. "It's just..."

"What is it?" Ryuji said. "You overthinkin' something again?"

Akira chuckled. "You can say that." It was an understatement though.  _A sudden dismissal like that...this will keep me huddled over the bench all night._

_If only..._

His bag rustled.

_If only this cat didn't twiddle his fingers. Paws. Whatever._ "Morgana, when are you going to show us this Mementos place? You keep hyping me up about it."

Morgana poked its snout out of the bag. "Soon."

"Soon!?" Ryuji fired. "What do you mean, soon!? You can't keep us waiting!"

Morgana pushed himself further out of the bag. "Well, Ryuji, you're excited. You have a target?"

"Well...no." His head sunk down. "To tell the truth, I haven't come up with anything."

"Figures. I'll say this: it'll be easier to demonstrate this place if we have a reason to go there. Until then...a normal student's life it is. Studying at the diner, and all."

"Normal? Please." Ryuji then turned to Akira. "You know, it's funny. I've been trying to search for targets. You know that page on the Phansite I showed a while back? I've been using that, actually."

Akira leaned forward, all ears. "People actually post requests on there? What do they post?"

A harsh frown popped up on Ryuji's face. "Bottom of the barrel stuff. Let me see...'I want to make my friend apologize for not returning the stuff I lent him.' Pfft. 'I want to get the teachers to give me a good midterm grade...' Seriously, deal with that yourself!"

"It almost sounds like word of the Phantom Thieves has spread only as far as Shujin," Akira observed.

"Makes sense," Ann added. "The news reports only show interviews of the students and allegations about Kamoshida and the Principal. No mentions of Phantom Thieves or anything like that."

Ryuji slunk his head down. "A mention would be nice."

Ann groaned. "Ryuji, Akira and you already have the rumors. You don't need a shoutout."

At that moment, Akira noticed a pair of girls behind her in Shujin uniforms:

"Hey, is that the transfer student behind us?"

"I think so. Are the rumors about him threatening Kamoshida true?"

"I...dunno. I mean...I can believe he set up the Principal, along with that weird newspaper chick. That seems feasible. But threatening him? That rumor was silly, anyway."

"He WAS charged for assault and hangs out with Sakamoto. Not far-fetched."

"More likely that Kamoshida just caved in once when that one girl tried to kill herself. Besides, this Phantom Thieves stuff and this Phansite...is a bit silly. Just sounds like someone had too much fun with a practical joke."

Akira couldn't help but make cynical sniggers.  _Indeed, HE seemed to have too much fun with this._

"Yeah...I'm more worried about college at this rate. That, and the fact that transfer student is now apparently in Student Council with Prissyma...as if the Student Council couldn't sink lower after Kamoshida. And on top of that, the rumors of him getting sweet with that bitc-"

"Gee, I wonder whose life story YOU could be talking about," Akira yelled intently.

The gossiping students turned around, only to recoil in embarrassment and slink deeper into their seats.

He slid back into his seat as well. "I'm going to take a quick nap," Akira grumbled. "Wake me when we're at Shibuya."

He took a book out of his bag and propped his head against it. He shuttered his eyes, quickly glancing at the look on Ann's face through the crack the cover made with his view.  _Another indignant look, for my sake._ _Ann, you're sweet, but I think what I did will suffice for now._

He closed his eyes...

* * *

...And with that...the chains. The reverberating bars. The drips in the background.

He opened his eyes. "I'm brimming with joy," he deadpanned.

Caroline greeted him with a haughty grin. "Welcome back, inmate. Now stand attention. Our master has something to say."

"...Does he always."

He stared again in the distance; Igor was still in the same pose as always.

"A most joyous occasion. More and more have come to view in your aesthetics. The pieces are set. Rehabilitation...can finally begin."

"...I thought that already started, though."

Caroline struck at the bars. "Just shut up and listen, Inmate!"

"Your 'special potential' though must be refined. That...is the nature of your rehabilitation: to use your full potential against the coming ruin."

"And we can point the way, inmate," Justine then said. She pulled out something from her tome and presented it to the Inmate.

Akira saw it was a gold medal. "How did you..."

Caroline whacked at the bars once more. "It's a matter of aesthetics. Get that into your thick head."

The sound of a train horn echoed off the velvet bricks, getting louder with each toot.

Justine then tossed the medal. "Continue to consult your contractors. Let them lend you strength, for the coming challenges ahead. Utilize the gifts bestowed upon you. And...enjoy whatever rest you have before you arrive at your destination..."

The train kept roaring...

* * *

Akira directed his bleary eyes at the LCD screen.  _"Shibuya Station"_ _About time._

Ryuji shot up from his seat. "SHIT!"

Akira snapped his neck upwards. "What!?"

"...Midterms are soon-OW! Why did you hit me with your book?"

"Because we already said that a while back! Why did you think we're heading to a diner? For the coffee!?" Akira took a deep breath and exhaled heavily, trying to make his goosebumps settle. "Besides, Ann suggested it. Said the booths are rather quiet."

"C'mon, Ryuji, pay attention!" Ann further pressed.

"Shit, I know." His belly grumbled. "Dammit. Today threw me off from my yakisoba pan habit!"

"Figures," Ann complained. "At the very least, this place serves ok food. I'm not sure about the sweets...maybe they have cake on the menu..."

_"_ ' _We'll_  be fine with tea, thanks," Akira said. "Now guys...what subjects are you guys good at? I probably could use a bit of brush up on English..."

Ann raised her hand. "I do pretty well in English. I mean, I AM part-American..."

"Correction: A quarter. And you ONLY do well in English," Ryuji quipped.

Ann turned hot-red. "Like you have anything academic to put on a pedestal! At least I'm good at something!"

And with that, Ryuji's boisterousness faded away. "Shut up...let's just eat."

The trio then exited the train and out onto the ground above, with Ryuji dragging his feet even more than usual.

Akira, behind the other two, had a pang of pity.  _Ann did seem to wound Ryuji this time. I suppose she'll realize the error of her ways. But now..._

_Her walking ahead, acting like a normal ribbing, is making it worse._

The aforementioned diner was just across from the Big Bang Burger Ryuji dragged him to that one time.

Akira then remembered the Twin's veiled words.  _To be fair, I do need to get this medal off of me...and he did say he had a side hustle going on._

But for now...

He figured he'd do more tutoring than reviewing. For Ryuji's sake.

* * *

Forensics already laid the black tarps over the blood-spattered room and sprayed a light layer of luminol all around Kobayakawa's office.

Endo still had the breathing mask on his face.  _It's either that, or having to deal with a gag reflex. I may be used to this smell...but my lungs seem sensitive today. I guess I'm getting old._ He opened his phone and dialed away. "Coroner's office. It's Endo. Is that body at the morgue yet?"

The tech on the other side yawned. "Yes. I hope you appreciate the strain your stiff put on their backs."

"I'll buy them drinks. I hope this isn't boring you."

"Not at all. Just more hours. The uppers already see the long picture here."

Endo grumbled. "Right...Thanks for reminding me. I'll buy only one round this time."

"Cheapass."

Endo hung up the phone. By this time, the luminol turned the room into a light show of splatters, with the largest around a hole in Kobayakawa's bookcase.

He closed one eye and leaned further with bottlecap glasses on his face.  _Damn eyes._  He steadied his vision. "The hole is the size of a bullet fragment. The gun most likely would be powerful enough to penetrate the skull, but slow enough to make it tumble and fragment. Still...quite a hand-cannon, by the looks of it." He turned to a loose tech. "Anyone find a weapon at the scene?"

A free tech approached him. "Bagged and tagged. Right under his right hand. Looks like an apparent suicide, based on the gunpowder marks around the entry wound."

He grabbed the bagged gun from the tech's hand. "A reasonable assumption," he said, grimacing.

"What you making that face for? Suicide is endemic in this country. Everybody seems to be having a horrible day nowadays. I mean, we have those mental shutdowns, after all."

Endo snarled. "Yeah. We have those DAMN mental shutdowns. And then we have this...have we recorded and uploaded everything, including the prints, to those stuffy bureaucrats in the National Police Agency and the ones in the Safety Commission?"

"No. Why?"

"Good. I'll take this."

"Wait...what are going to do with that?"

"...A consultation. I'll handle the paperwork."

"What's the point?"

He turned to hissing. "It's Japan. It's not enough to know it's a smoking gun; I need to know WHERE he got it." He moved the tarp out of the way and trotted to his police wagon.

_Good thing, too; I was starting to get the sweats._ He slipped a death stick from his pocket and lit up, coughing after the first puff.

He figured he'd give Sae a call;  _better her than the detective out of a J-POP._  "...Sorry, Kazu, but...guess I can't promise you jack now."

The dial went on. Then, something caught his eyes. "Fucking shit." Cigarette still in his mouth, he eyeballed the gun up close. "A .44. And...engraved too. This is...custom built. There's a ton of people that can get this through back channels. But...with this amount of skill on display... the engravings. The artisanal touch..."

He gave dialing, ignited the car, chewing harder at the bud. "The amount of skill...I swear...you better not be backsliding on me, you slithery reptile."

* * *

It was afternoon already.

Akira trotted back a few hours ago, giving up after Ryuji shoved twenty Pockys into his mouth...in one go.  _At least Ann is good at present participle...why didn't mom teach me more English, damnit? I wasn't going to go to France anytime soon._ He figured staring at Sojiro's craft would bear more fruit.

"...These beans are always best to be left simmering in medium heat," Sojiro said, brewing the grinds through a cheesecloth-covered pitcher. "Tends to get all of the interesting compounds out of the bean when they're 'gently massaged' out." He passed the end product to Akira's face. "Here, try."

Akira took a zip. ... _It's like a gentle massage on my taste buds. The hint of something floral is also tickling my nose..._ "Mhm. It's good. It has this aroma...like rose petals."

"Rose petals? Pfft, whatever you say. I was going to say licorice, but whatever."

"Maybe you're losing your sense of smell."

"...Or maybe I haven't, and you're just unrefined like all punk kids," Sojiro grunted. "Anyway...how's school? I may not look like it...but I watch TV. They keep talking about it, you know? Poor girls..."

Akira took another zip. "Tell me about it. I mean, I'm ok. Can't say about the others, though."

"So uh...all of that huffin' and puffin' a while back..."

"...Yeah."

"Damn. Well, what about your lady friend? She holdin' up ok? She probably already has a lot of eyes on her, given she has university to worry about. I don't think this would make things better."

"She has her stuff together, but..."

"But? But what?"

Akira shrugged. "People can be...judgmental. She's human; I can't say it doesn't take a toll."

Sojiro sighed. "Ain't that the truth. Did uh...did that guy ever...you know?"

"What, Kamoshida? Fuck no, thank god." Akira pulled out his phone. "That reminds me. I...want to eat something other than curry tonight."

Sojiro nodded. "Ok."

Akira stared a bit at Sojiro, wondering if he was going to say something more.

"...Ok?" Sojiro uttered again.

Another long stare.

"...What? It's curry. It's food. What, you think I get offended since it's the only thing I CAN make?"

"Alright, alright, I get it." He dialed Makoto. A minute passed.  _No response. That's odd. I wonder..._

She dialed back. "Oh sorry. Forgive me, I usually don't expect people to call. I'm just studying in my room."

"Oh...well, I hope I didn't catch at the wrong time then. You, uh, alone?"

"Stop sounding like a creeper," Sojiro whispered. "Are you alone, jeez...just get to the point."

Akira slapped him on the arm.

"Well, yes. Sis isn't coming back tonight. Another long night at the office, unfortunately."

"You eat yet? I'm free...and I heard there's a ramen joint in Ogikubo..."

"Oh!"

Akira could hear her jump a couple of octaves.

"Well...uh...this is embarrassing. I've never actually tried ramen from a ramen shop before..."

"...I'll just pretend you didn't say that. Look, just have some ramen with me. I know you're busy and I'm not going to beg..."

"Even though you at the point of doing so," Sojiro muttered.

"...But I think we both need a change of pace. Think of it...as a learning experience."

"I mean...it would be a fresh perspective..."

"Plus...we need to negotiate how you're going to make it up to me and my solar plexus."

Makoto could sense the smug grin bleeding through the line. "...Don't remind me. Fine. I'll try your ramen place. In an hour and a half." Her voice lightens. "You're lucky my Sis is going to do an all-nighter. She'd freak if she saw me all laidback."

"Well, it's settled. See you at Central Station then."

Sojiro started clapping. "Well, then, punk, I see you'd upgraded from study date to actual date."

"Whatever you say, old man. I think at this rate, though, you should probably worry about your receding hairline then who I hang out with."

Sojiro brushed a hand over his hairline. "...It ain't receding that bad. Asshole."

Akira sprinted upstairs. "Gotta get out of this damn apron and into something more relaxed."

"The way he jetted upstairs, you'd think he won the damn lottery," Sojiro commented. "Hey, kid, don't forget to take that cat with you. It's been complaining ever since you got back. Probably can use some fresh air, I dunno."

Morgana sat by the stairs, belly exposed. "Not true. I was just complaining about the food Sojiro keeps on trying to feed me. What does he think, I am, a cat that eats processed garbage out of a can?"

Akira pulled out a navy blue coat from his box of items shipped from home. "I'll make sure to tell Sojiro to feed you caviar next time. Now...bag time."

"Going out on a nightly stroll, are we? Sounds fine by me." Morgana then jumped inside Akira's leather bag.

"More like a bit of business, a bit of pleasure. I'll bite the bullet and see if Iwai's hustle extends to Olympic medals."

"What, no offers online?"

"Just one comment. 'fake af reported.' So yeah, I'll take my chances with him."

"He seems a bit shifty."

"Which is why he won't make a fuss if he has me keep to that 'Three Monkeys' proverb. If he IS shifty enough, maybe he'll turn a blind eye to what I'm selling."

"...Akira, just don't rush things, ok? I know we were dead set on being the Phantom Thieves we promised ourselves. I just don't want you to unravel it before it gets off the ground."

Akira sighed. "I know...I just feel antsy, standing still and doing nothing."  _Funny thing, since Sis said the same thing, when she got pissed at something._  "Oh, hold on. Can't forget this." He slipped his shock baton and a few bits of flashing powder into his pocket.

"Seriously!? Why are you bringing that along?"

"Oh well...I just...rather be safe than sorry, now that I have this stuff." His voice sunk low enough that his vocal cords started to vibrate. "Anything can go wrong in the middle of the night, even when you think it won't."

"You're paranoid. I blame your lack of sleep. Or your rustling in your bed when you try to get some rest. Are you sure you're up to go out?"

"I'll be fine."

Deep down, he knew that, in light of recent events, it was always better to have one less unaccounted variable.  _Because unaccounted variables make you restless, don't they, Renren? Why wouldn't they?_

Makoto's voice then came alive.  _Besides, u_ _naccounted variables get people hurt, don't they, Ren?_

Then, Minako's voice.  _They get people killed, don't they, Renren?_

He then kneeled to the floor to meet Morgana eye to eye. "Look, just...yeah, it's stupid, and I'm going to sound superstitious but just...let me take this with, ok?"

"...Fine."

A few minutes later, Akira trotted down, wearing blue jeans with his coat. "About as gussied up as I can be. Well, Sojiro, how I look?"

"Passable."

Akira's eyes dimmed. "Thanks for the vote of confidence. Don't wait for me."

Sojiro raised an eyebrow. "I won't. Though, you have a rubber, kid?"

"...What?"

He smugly grinned. "What? You should be safe. When you go in for the kill."

"...Pure thoughts, Sojiro. Try them once a while."  _God, I can't believe you said that..._

Sojiro chuckled. "Have fun, kid."

Akira waved at Sojiro, and closed LeBlanc's doors behind him.

* * *

Iwai scanned another catalog his stack on the counter. "Huh? That M4 scope..." He whistled loud. "Real beauty." He then checked the time on his watch. "That high-baller customer should be coming anytime."

The door then slammed open, fast enough that the greeting bell hanging on the door handle didn't have enough time to rattle.

A wrinkly-faced, trenchcoated man came storming in. "IWAI!?"

Iwai made a sound, one similar to a kettle blowing steam. "Nice to see you again."

He then tossed his new bag of evidence on the counter. "Your handiwork, I bet."

Iwai took his feet off the counter and leaned over the bag. "Police evidence? What, you wanting to sell it?" He started to grin. "I didn't expect you to bend after all this time."

Endo leaned over the counter and began exhaling heavily, leaning in close enough so that Iwai felt the faint heat from his nostrils. "I ain't messin' around today. None of that wisecracking shit."

Iwai sat, still looking straight ahead in spite of the glare directed towards him. "What can I say? I run a legitimate business here. I wouldn't sell that real of a model."

"And I keep a prostitute under the dash of my car."

"Probably could use one."

"Iwai...if you've been dealing under the table..."

Iwai threw his magazine behind him and stood up. "I told you. I don't like the pigs harassing me. And I especially don't like gumshoes sniffing around. Even  _you._ I mean, I get idiot punks coming in from time to time. But I don't sell them the 'premium' shit.'"

Endo began to trudge around the store, thinking out loud. "That still doesn't explain why someone was found with their brains blown out with this GUN at their feet."

"Huh. No shit." Iwai pulled the gun out of the bag, pushed out its cylinder, and put his nose to the barrels, especially the blackened. He smelled the gunpowder when he did.

That smell...

It usually sent a chill down his spine. The type generated from a past where he held guns whose bullets would bore. Tumble. Tear. Explode. Pass its shards through flesh and sinew in a chaotic dance.

But now, he felt a different type of chill as he anxiously brushed his grey, pin-like scruff.  _The goddamn seal on the firing pin should be sealed permanently._

Iwai bit harder on the toothpick in the corner of his mouth.  _No one should be able to fucking undo it._

_I only have a few that buy_ _high-end models. And those few sure as shit aren't civvies. Or dumb hoodies that lurk in a dark alleyway._

Endo saw the gears turning on Iwai's face. "Aren't you worried in the slightest about the possibility that your 'premium shit' is somehow getting a bit more 'premium'?"

Iwai sealed his mouth shut, his lips pressing more inwards. A few seconds passed. "Leave the gun and go," he forced through his furrowed lips.

Endo put his hands in his pockets and started to pace rigidly around the store. "I shouldn't."

"You know how I am. You can trust me. A bit."

"Yeah...I remember. You and 'The Code.' Funny, how you say you quit the game. Doesn't seem like it."

"Yeah. I quit it. But I never left it."

Endo sighed. "Yeah...I can understand that."

"Then understand this: I don't snitch. I can sniff around. Maybe point you in the right direction. But that's it. Now...stop dancing about in my store, you goddamn basket case."

"Fine. Leave the bag, though. I'll make sure nobody comes behind your back wondering where evidence went." He began walking out of the door. "By the way...nice seeing you again."

Iwai opened another magazine and propped his legs up. "Fuck off before you scare my customers away. I'm making a living here."

"Prickly as ever."

An hour passed. No other customers came by. He checked the clock again.  _What the hell, man? Weren't these guys supposed to be here by now?_  At this point, Iwai gave up and went in back with his new gift and sat over a workbench. He then took out a pair of glasses. "Fucking eyes going bad on me. I'm going to look like Kaoru in a minute." He leaned in and started prying at the cylinder, trying to get a better look at the firing pin. The sight makes him boil. "Son of a bitch; whoever had this fuckin' drilled through the seal and welded in a firing pin that works."

It was already bad enough that he'd get chewed out occasionally by some blue-blooded cop who thought his guns look real enough to stick up someone with.  _Now..._

"Now what?"

He then heard the jingle from up front. He hurriedly shoved the gun into a drawer and walked out, hands in his pockets, almost as if he didn't want the slightest sign that his hands went to work on such high-end models. He found a black-haired enthusiast.  _In a cap that fits this time._  "Welcome back. You've learned from your mistakes, it looks like."

Akira lifted the brim of his navy blue and white cap, emblazoned with the words "Japanese Coast Guard" on the front. "I have something."

"'Something?'"

Steely-faced, he threw out the gold medal like a person tossing a pair of die in a craps game, hoping to land a lucky number. "35,000 yen."

Iwai's face began to scrunch. "...35,000 yen?" He placed his hands on the cold glass counter and stared ahead coldly. "You take me for a fucking idiot?"

"It's real. What you want me to do, beg?"

Iwai grunted. "Just...out. I got better shit then dealing with fake-" He then stopped talking. He peered at the medal.  _Well...it is sparkly. Luster's good._   _But...damnit, I got to make this quick. The thing they do at the podiums should work._  He moved the medal to his mouth, and then paused.  _Shit. If it's real, though, I can't sell a bent medal._ He then remembered he had a small torch in the back for shaping barrels. "Hold on a minute. Or better yet, run off right now if you're bullshitting me."

After hearing a bunch of frantic rustling in the back of the store, Akira found Iwai back with a lit torch and a grin on his face. "You still want to back out?"

"Pretty sure."

He inched the flame closer. "Word of advice, kid."

And closer.

"Don't fuckin' hustle a hustler."

Then, the hot part of the flame touched the gold.

Then...the countdown.

Akira started to tap his feet. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Gimme ten seconds."

After those long, tortured ten seconds, Iwai held a still pristine-looking. "Will you look at that? It's real?"

Akira squinted his eyes. "Why the torch?"

"I learned the trick when I was younger after someone tried to trick me. Gold, if its coated instead of the real karat stuff, burns up when you heat it. Your medal hasn't." Iwai then turned off the torch. "30,000 yen."

"32,500."

"I price match the internet. Plus I need to make a profit.

Akira pursed his lips. "Fine."  _You're lucky I just want to be rid of this already._

Iwai sealed the deal with a clap. "Give me a minute."

Iwai went in the back and turn the tumbles of a safe, stacking a rack of paper yen into a paper bag.

He then turned his head back to his bench, in particular, the drawer holding the revolver. He didn't want to jump the gun, but the clientele this tier of product attracts left him with no one to trust. And he rather not have anyone on either side of the law come snooping around about this damn thing especially.

_And...this kid is a fresh face. After what he did now...he ain't a boy scout. But at least he doesn't hock off useless junk. So, he ain't bad. Or, at the very least, a chickenshit bastard._

He decided to stow it in the bottom of the stack. He layered it, top to bottom so that not even the person carrying the bag would notice. That is, unless he felt like mentioning it.  _Not sure yet_.  _I'll decide it on the spot..._

Iwai returned from scheming, holding up a bag. "Take it."

Akira reached over to grab it.  _I'm getting hungry already, and I don't like messing about here more than I need to._

"Wait," Iwai uttered. "Look, uh...do me a favor. You take this, and you don't look in the bag. There's something special. A sample."

"'A sample?'"

Iwai narrowed his eyes at Akira. "Bring it back another time." His voice gets gravely low. "And don't you fucking dare try to do anything with it. Sell it, 'use' it. Whatever. I ain't done with it, yet. I just can't have too many people seeing it."

"Got it."

Iwai was almost taken aback by how quick the kid responded. "...Glad you understand."

The sound was faint, but he could hear from outside shuffling.

"Get going. Put the hat on, don't look at who's going to come in. They don't like baby faces around."

Akira put the hat on and passed the two hulking giants ambling in, not minding the tattoos poking up from under their shirts, which had a swirl of flashy colors that tortured their eyes, and onto their breastbone; or the gaudy dental grills they had planted in their mouths.

There was one, the younger of the two, hunched over with a hand to the side and with blond, spiky hair, that was eager enough to start speaking. "You got more flashy shit to show?"

Iwai stood, back cocked away and arms crossed in his typical salesmen's pose. "Name your model."

"The one in gangster movies."

"...These guns are all in gangster movies."

"Like...the one with the Cuban gangster. The hold he holds to the side and-"

"Ok, fine I get it. THAT one. So, uh..." He leaned in closer. "You gifting it to your kid, or are you just going to hold someone up with them? Can't do anything if the second."

"C'mon, don't bullshit us," the second brute roared. "We got the money. Our boss just wants it kept as a prop; nothing else. He talks to people that love this type of shit hanging on the back wall."

"Alright then...a REAL gun enthusiast. Fine by me." He then scanned the two men. "You know the Code?"

"...Code?"

"...Well...you guys seem too young for that anyway. Just keep what we do within your clan, and nowhere else."

"Oh...alright," the blond brute said, unamused.

Iwai turned his head towards the door. "Your boss coming? Last time I checked, he's the one that gives the final thumbs-up."

The two thugs turned silent. After a while, the older one waived his hand. What entered was a porcine man, wearing a sleek black suit made of smooth silk over a turquoise, pressed, high-thread shirt. His hair was gelled, pushed and settled back like every feature on his face, except his flattened nose. His eyes traveled all around the place; he was estimating.

Tabulating.

Sizing up.

Comparing.

In the end, this man had a price for everything, plastered in his view. And in his mind, he followed the paper trail only the most clever, the most conscientious, the most scrupulous travel. And this road...

This road, for him, is an investment, a means unto itself.

He oinked once before he opened his mouth. "Let's meet back."

The group made its way back and behind a large stack of boxes. In the corner was a lockbox, which Iwai had the key to. Popping it open revealed an M4 with a grenade launcher attachment. "Metal polished, too. Don't make the grunts all twinkle-eyed flashing it in their faces."

"I don't pay them to do that," grunted the potbelly man. He rubbed his hands around every contour and every ridge, ending with a wrap-around of the trigger. "Looks good. Dumbshits! Get the money out the car.

The two then rushed back out the entrance, stumbling slightly into each other while doing so.

Iwai's client reached up to wrap his hands around him and tilt him to the ground. "Now...there's another awkward matter."

"...Uh, awkward?"

"Yeah." He cleared his throat. "You see...one of my associates bought your premium merchandise as of late. He seems to have lost it."

"Is that so? Well...he'll have to dish out the same amount as before."

"Just...keep an eye out if you can."

"Tch. Come on, I'm not a bloodhound. Don't make me do that shit for you. Your friend should keep better track of his inventory."

The Pig gave a crooked smile. "Oh no, I'm just giving a suggestion, that's all. From one  _crook_ to another."

"Crook? Who the hell do you think-"

"Tch tch tch," the man said, waving his finger. "Don't delude yourself. You know..."

The two men, back from outside, leaned in closer around Iwai, approaching his flanks, with one breaking off to go back waddling around his backroom stuff as before.

"How's your kid? I heard you have a kid."

"...I don't mention him for a reason," Iwai snapped, keeping a rigid neck. "He doesn't need to know...who I used to be."

"But I assume he'll know if something breaks your 'honest worker' image? Like a...'unfortunate incident' involving a rather realistic-looking gun. A random plant, a hold-up Or..." he gasped. "Even worse. What if a  _yakuza_  does something bad with it, and somebody slips their tongue about where it came from? No 'civvie' is supposed to be assisting the Yakuza in any capacity. Having your signature all over that gun? That's a recipe for disaster. They'll come and they'll out your business, and you'll most likely get fucked by a trio of judges. And then what? A person like you...well...I doubt you can be honest with your limited skill set."

Iwai couldn't help but tighten the back of his jaw, trying not to tear at his client's throat.  _But...I'm bound. And not because of this damn gun. He's an OG._ _And...I have standards._  "I'll keep a look out for it."

"Sounds like a plan. If you come across something..."

"You'll come to me, not the other way around. I ain't stupid. I know how this shit works."

"Spoken like a true brother. I would shake on it...but I have one thing to get across. Taro, wrap this shit up and carry it to the car. Iwai...walk with me to the car."

Iwai, through his suddenly stiff legs, expected the worst. He headed outside, locking the store up while doing so, and heading deeper in the alleyway and onto a side street for loading.

The older goon, Taro, popped open the trunk and loaded the gun.

His boss checked the time. "This is your cue, isn't it?" he then cried into a shadowed area of the alley.

Taro scanned around but saw no one. "Kaneshiro, who are you speaking to-ARRGH!" His neck arched back, so far back that Iwai almost believed the man was going to snap his own neck and end it there. But he stayed there, leaning back in limbo, eyes rolled back.

Then, a man in a black Oni mask came from the Shadows, quickly enough so that he wrapped the man's mouth and eyes with black masking tape before he began to drip an inky substance onto the asphalt.

Iwai was tempted to hike it, but he found himself restrained from the goon behind him. Plus, in the face of something like _this_ , if he were made an example of, he was screwed anyway.

"Now Iwai...I also can't discount the fact you get harassed by the blue bloods quite a bit. I also can't discount that perhaps you found it somehow, and forwarded it to some beat to cover your ass. The "Code" isn't foolproof. But..it's not in any evidence locker, from what I've heard on the inside. And my associate-for-hire behind you couldn't find anything while we were talking."

Iwai grunted and tried to break the hold of his arms, failing to do so.

"I don't have all day. So, if you DO have that fucking gun...make sure to give it back when appropriate."

The man, eyes thinning, leaned in, snorting inches away from Iwai's nonplussed, stony face. "Or else, I'll find your bastard in a basket and have you watch what happens when you mess with me or my partners."

"...You finished?" Iwai piped. "I still want my money."

A pause. The man then burst laughing, even hunching over and slapping his knee. "You see, kid? That...is a man who knows what matters. What  _REALLY_ drives the world. Well, pay him."

The man restraining him then reached over Iwai's shoulder and slipped a stack of yen into one of his coat pockets.

The man then walked to his car, turning around for a final wave. "Keep in touch. From one  _blood brother_  to another."

Iwai lingered on the stiff being loaded in the trunk. "You think he could have deserved a more honorable death than...whatever you're doing?"

The Pig chuckled, hands straddling his gut. "Oh Iwai...this guy blabbed about one of my secret rackets to the wrong person. This...this is just streamlining."

"Streamlining, eh?"

"Yep. A friend loaned Mask Boy to me. You look at what he can do, and you compare what an old piece of shit does when he's drunk...It's just a matter of being frugal." He then slapped the black mask's arm amicably. "Isn't that right?"

"...Please don't touch me," the Mask gritted through his teeth.

The joy zapped from the OG's face. "You're a Janitor. Act accordingly, and shut up." He opened the back car door and seated himself. The car then drove off leisurely, with Kaneshiro's new fixer riding shotgun.

At this point, Iwai could do nothing but enter his store. He didn't bother to flip back the 'Open' sign.

He trotted back to his safe.

"...Damnit..."

He found himself not being able to stand for much longer.  _Keeping face after that..._

He took the money out from his coat and couldn't help but throw the dough and slam the safe door closed.

* * *

**_A few minutes before..._ **

_'Pretty little creature...flex your wings.'_

A man wearing Shinto robes and a traditional farmer's hat, found himself on the side street, watching a blue butterfly lay gently on his finger and curl its tendrils back and forth instead of straight ahead into the alleyway.

"I believe my mistress would object to you dozing off if I told her about it," said a purple-haired lady in a tight-hugging grey vest.

"I am tending to Nature. We all must understand when to shift between priorities, Kikuno."

She smiled softly. "I take pride in assisting my master and her wards seriously. Which is why I will remind you to be steadfast."

She then heard a ping from her earpiece. The sensor went off again. "It seems the signal went off. It looks like another 'event' has occurred. The correlation is getting stronger."

He smirked in vindication. "It seems my sense of the supernatural hasn't dulled."

"So it seems." She then took out her phone to see the map updated. "The app is now saying the source for all of these anomalies is in Shibuya. The radius is now narrowing to within two miles."

"Which in a city like Tokyo means..."

"A large swath of locations. More data, more precision. But...we are getting close."

He tilted his head upwards slightly. "Do we at least know what the predictive algorithm says about the most  _likely_  location?"

"It seems the event occurred in the alleyway across. Like last time."

As she mentioned the alleyway, a boy with black, curly hair came walking out, shoving a paper bag into his leather knapsack, already full from an irate-looking ball of fur of whiskers. The kid tried to push the brim of his hat down more in some bid not to draw anyone's attention, but it was no use.

"Hmm..."  _Ren_...fancy _seeing you here, of all things. This...is troubling._

"Has something caught your attention, Ryuzaki?"

He turned to meet her. "No. Nothing."

"Are you sure? I am trained to address any issue that you come across. If you believe we should move closer around the alleyway to investigate..."

"It's nothing. I'm just...thinking."

The butterfly on his hand flapped upwards, blending into the mesh of neon signs above.

He got distracted again.

_'Transculent monster, beat your wings..._

"Thinking about what?"

"A refrain I wrote while I studied chaotic systems."

"And what would this quote be?"

"Sorry, I forgot it. Let's just keep watch here."

His mind though completed it. ...and _create a typhoon.'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy...
> 
> So, once again, apologies for a late posting. To sum, I had a coworker unfortunately pass away last weekend. And well...that didn't put me in the best of moods to write, after trying to console the family, another with my other coworkers.
> 
> But now I'm back. Hopefully, unless something tragic happens again, I'm going to have the next chapter out next week. Probably slated to be shorter than this.
> 
> Other than that, though, stay tuned...


	24. Arc 2, Chapter 2: R&R

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More fluff.  
> More cameo.  
> More edgy Sae.
> 
> What more can you possibly want in a Persona 5 adaptation?

Akira kept walking towards the bookstore at the corner, pushing his eyes towards the gum-littered cobblestones instead of the people passing by. "...That was close."

"What, you thought that wasn't real for a minute?" Morgana said, tucked in by a wad of cash. "So warm..."

"I just assumed you like shiny things." He then took another deep breath and exhaled. "What a bluff...but man. I was kinda hoping for at least an extra grand. Whatever."

He realized that a certain someone would be looking for him and took off his hat.  _Better not give her an excuse to roleplay as a gumshoe again._

And not a moment too soon, with a familiar tingle creeping into his nose.  _Like the rush of the tide._ It put a smile on his face...and a flutter in the chest.

He turned around to find Makoto wearing a warm-looking blue button-up jacket and black leggings, leaning forward towards the bag. "Did you bring Morgana along, even now?"

"...Force of habit."  _Please don't ask to pet..._

"...Would he mind if I...pet him? It's a he, right?"

 _Shit._ "I would, but...actually, I don't even know what gender it is."

"This shouldn't be hard, though. Here we can check-"

"Nuh uh," he replied, pulling his bag away as a precaution. "He, she...whatever.  _It's_  not in a friendly mood. And he probably wouldn't be in a worse mood if you start giving him an exam, though."

She put a finger on her chin. "But I thought it was an 'it'...whatever. I get the point." Her eyes then lit up. "I have to say, though, I'm quite excited. I hear so many of the students talking about ramen shops amongst themselves. I've pondered going there myself. For reference."

He chuckled. "For reference? It's food for a cold night like this one. It's not a safari."

"I know...but, something tells me of late I need it..."

 _...She's getting all pensive again._ He reached out to tap her on the wrist lightly. "C'mon. I'm famished."

She looked up, seeing him all smiles, and felt a giddy warmth deep from her core wash over her.

... _It's cold after all...I guess he won't think it's weird._  Makoto inched a bit closer to Akira, bag-side, while they walked down in the underground.

* * *

Kikuno entered a dimly lit room, one 80 stories above the ground and bordered with glass windows.

"Ma'am," she said, bowing entirely to a figure in a thick, white minx coat, who was seated on the other side of the room and staring out across a Tokyo skyline, one whose lights twinkled and blended into a golden horizon.

 _Like a line of embers being swept away_ the master observed, with those words echoing further and further in her head.

Kikuno trotted over to her master's side, doing her duty as always. "I hope you are not too lost in the sights," she said, laying a polished silver tray on the table.

"It's nothing, Kikuno. I'm just relaxing my eyes."

With the eye of the hawk, Kikuno went to work looking through the razor-thin gaps of her master's long, silky-red hair and peer into the irises, around the eyes, at her stiff furls and at the pained creases around her mouth. It was all too familiar a sight these days. The only solace she could take was that the red-haired lady could relax a little from a freshly-brewed cup of kopi luwak, presented in a bone-white, gold-rimmed cup. "Your coffee. I figured that, despite the caffeine, it would loosen you up."

"In a second."

Kikuno sighed through the nose, maintaining a soft smile. "To update, Amamiya-san was correct about the general area. The radius is narrowed to within a mile, the most likely center being around Central Street. A few more surveillance rounds, and we might be able to locate the epicenter."

"That's good," her master uttered with a small sense of relief. "Precision is always important. We can't waste any more time on false leads."

"I found it peculiar how your father consulted even mystics like him even with the Group's research. Seeing it in person...it's indescribable."  _A bit...too indescribable._

"Well, father was curious back then, when we knew nothing," she said with a sinking feeling. "Any reference off which we could go on...well...it's only rational we'd try." She swiveled around to meet her tray and imbibe in the sharp smell. "Kikuno. A regular espresso would have been just fine," she said coldly, her bashfulness not making its way through.

Kikuno though had seen her master, in her bib and in her boardroom. She was, at this point, attuned to her master's every intention. "Unfortunately, even the conglomerate is not immune to buying excessively priced coffee," she wisecracked.

"To think we could afford any type..." Despite this, she went to drinking, doing so in preparation for a long night of thought. "Kikuno?"

"Yes, Kirijo-san?"

"...You think I'm making a mistake?"

"In what manner, madame?"

"They deserve normal lives. Everyone, from the old team. They are reserve members for a reason."

"I believe, ma'am, you should trust your judgment. And respect their decision, for it will be  _theirs_ , not yours."

 _"C'est vrai?"_ She took another zip. "I suppose I'll decide on that later when I feel less. _..perturbed._  At the very least, can Amamiya be trusted?"

"...I believe he can be trusted more than the others in our organization at the moment. Both our picks, and the Prime Minister's."

The Kirijo lady sighed, slinking deeper behind a set of balled-up, interlocked, gloved fingers. "Don't get me started on that..."

"Madame, we've done all we can," Kikuno said placatingly. "We knew the risks of being transparent with the government. Pooling their resources and ours for the management of the Shadow threat: you're not wrong in trying something different from your predecessor. In light of the Group's past, it is perhaps necessary."

"Necessary..." Her head lurched down a bit. "Frankly, I'm not sure what is warranted from here on." She then stood up, wanting to loosen her knees a bit. "The group, including Nanjo, will be on pins and needles for a long time until this no-confidence business in Parliament settles."

"And until then?"

The lady turned around and smiled. "Until then, get some rest."

 _I knew my master was going to say that. Even if it should be the other way around._ "A most forceful request. I will oblige, as much as my duty will let me." With a bow, she left the room, shutting the door gently behind her."

The lady in minx continued to peer out the window, in some attempt to clear her mind.

Her reflection, faint as it was, though, brought the reality back into the picture.  _The decision always rests on you._ And, lately, the choices were plenty. It was all R&R at this point: Restructuring, and Reassurances.

And with Japan's largest conglomerate in this current environment, it wasn't a job. 'R&R' was a juggle for dear life, one that betrayed the cold, almost icy persona she displayed in front of the board, investors, and a long list of people that looked at her every move.

She only had a few she to whom could show her true mask, ones who knew the world of the Shadows as much as she did:

Iori?  _Ensconced in the States. Doubt he can come back here discreetly._

Akihiko?  _Still consumed by wanderlust. He'll be hard to track_.

Yukari?  _Also in the States, for the time being. More than I'd like, from a "logistical" perspective._

Aigis?  _She's been through too many flashpoints as of late. She needs the repair. And the rest._

It just left Fuuka and Ken.

The last one made her wince.  _He's only but a short plane ride away. But...he deserves normalcy more than anyone else. And for the preliminary stage of an investigation? This seems...excessive._

She sighed heavily and laid her forehead on the cool windowpane. It came back to her.  _T_ _he_ _small amount of rot...that small amount...that small amount can always bore in...leave everything a mess._ _Grandfather...Itsuki..._

"Back to the task at hand."  _Yes, indeed, the tasks at hand, aside from looking at more downward trends in the numbers...and writing eulogies for executives that have passed all of a sudden._

_For now though...it's better to be safe than sorry._

_Still..._

_Whose life should I disrupt, for an absolution I'll never get?_

* * *

"...Man, that hit the spot," Akira exclaimed, slinking back in his bar stool.

"Indeed," Makoto said, smiling. "You know, Ren, this was so delicious I ended up drinking all of the broth myself. And there's quite a lot in these bowls, too. I was almost kind of worried the broth would spill on me when I tried lifting up the bowl to my mouth."

"Don't worry, Makoto. I bet if you come here more often, you'll get better at swall-"  _...Renren, you're slipping again. Don't give her the wrong idea._  "...You'll get better at it. Anyways...I'm still surprised. You actually were serious about calling me that for now on."

Makoto shrugged. "...I guess it stuck. Shorter to say that than your other name. Would...you prefer me calling you by-"

"No, no," he exclaimed. "I'm still not used to it...someone from outside my family calling me by that name, that's all."

Makoto then eyed the place they were at: a small hole-in-the-wall, with a pair of chefs, fussing among themselves as they switched between the stations for boiling noodles and those for broth. "Quite a cramped space, wouldn't you say?" She then saw the line forming outside. "I didn't expect this place to be popular, but given how great the ramen place is, I can understand why. How did you find out about this place so quickly?"

"A recommendation. That kid, Sakamoto, has a penchant for ramen. Glad to know he has a genuine taste for this stuff."

"Well, I see you're at least getting along with him still; that's good." She then heard Akira's bag rustle. "Careful, Ren. You don't want the owners to find out about your little secret."

He laughed nervously, unsure if the sweat beading from the forehead was from the steam of the ramen or something else.  _Right...the dirty secret in my bag._ "Worst case, I'll just fling the cat at them and run." He leaned forward in jest. "Hope you can keep up if that happens."

She grinned. "Don't say I didn't warn you." She then yawned. "Sorry, can we start heading back? I don't want to keep you out too late, and we shouldn't keep others from eating."

"We can do that."

The two squeezed their way past the line of people outside and out towards the station. By now, the skyline speckled away in the distance.  _It's a nice sight,_ Akira observed.  _Still prefer the natural thing,_  however.

The station wasn't too far off.  _Would make for a great walk. Despite the wind chill cutting at my cheeks._  The two started to retrace back to the station through the labyrinth of yellow-saturated alleyways.

Makoto kept nibbling on the bottom of her lip. It's _probably a good time, now that we're alone._  "Are you sleeping alright?"

"I'm alright."

 _Fine. I suppose if you want to be like that..._ "The black outlines around your eyes suggest otherwise."

"...Fine. I've been staying up as of late. It's a bad habit I'm trying to shake, but-"

"Kurusu..."

_Ah shit...she used my last name._

_"..._ How much sleep are you getting?"

He straddled the back of his head. "Um...I guess 3...maybe 4 hours. And then, well, one all-nighter..."

"...Do you know how unacceptable this is?"

"Makoto..."

"I swear...how does anyone, ANYONE, consider getting less than 6 hours of sleep at MINIMUM?"

"Makoto..."

"AND ALL-NIGHTERS!? ARE YOU ASKING TO SELF-DESTRUCT?"

Akira gave up at this point.

The venom was now front and center. "I swear...I didn't imagine you to be as stupid as my sister when it comes to this stuff..." Her eyes then lit up. "Ren...I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to go on that much of a tangent, much less...what I said..."

"No offense taken." He then grumbled. "...I...suppose I have bad studying habits."

"You've been studying into the night!?"

 _Studying,_ _Experimenting, and getting my hands singed and stained from touching too many beakers._ "Pretty much."

She herself then groaned. "Once again, you are a handful. You do realize you need some amount of sleep to retain information? Did your parents not force you to go to sleep when you were younger?"

"Yeah, well...I guess I preferred to stay up, even when they told me."

She pressed a finger between her eyebrows, sighing while doing so. "...You know, Kawakami complained about you sleeping in class. Now I know why. At the very least, for the sake of the midterms, can you get on a normal sleep schedule?"

"Well...I guess I'll try."

She started to glare, edging menacingly towards his face. "At this rate, you  _will._ I don't want you ending up like one of the students last year who slept through the midterms and wasn't woken up. He had to do remedial for the rest of the year..."

"...Yes, ma'am." Ren uttered.

She recoiled back.  _Here's to me overdoing things again..._ "Also, have you tried studying with others at this rate?" she said, blushing and turning away.

"Tried. But really, I only have Sakamoto and Takamaki. They're both friends, so it makes sense. But..."

"...What?"

 _...God...you shouldn't be able to shove that much Pockys and talk at the same time._ He shuddered. "...I need tips on social studies."

"Social studies?"

"...I sleep in that class the most. Despite the chalk flung at my head."

"Ushimaru?"

"Yep."

"Well...if you need any help, I can drill you the same way I drill myself. At least, in my head."

"Your head, uh? I think I can manage whatever comes out your head."

The two found themselves on a bench, the train towards Shibuya only a few minutes out. The wind kept on brushing by the pair a loose piece of paper.

"You know, Makoto, I guess, now that we're waiting, you can tell me what's up."

She snapped her eyes towards him. "I..."

He kept on staring at her intently, eyes lowering a bit.  _The night sure feels nice..._

She couldn't help but look down at her lap.

"It's your sister, isn't it?" he pressed. "Coming home late again?"

"...Yeah."

"She, um...doing something that's making you worry?"

"Well...I always worry. As much as anyone can in similar circumstances. But it's probably not what you're thinking. I've tried my best to support her after Dad passed away. She breaks her back for both of us. At least...part of me thinks of it that way."

"What makes you think that way 'partly'?"

"As much as I don't want to, since she doesn't like me comparing her to him..." She took a deep breath. "My dad would usually come back home late sometimes, sure. Being in the police does that, and I don't get mad at her when she does. I also don't get mad at her when she gets all...intense about letting a perp slip through her fingers in court. He got like that, too. I trusted her that she was doing the right thing, despite whatever was eating at her mind. Deep down, though...I get the feeling that, as of late, she's handling it all so... _ungracefully_ _._

"'Ungracefully?' That whole incident at the grave still bothering you?"

Makoto grimaced. "...Amongst other things. At the end of the day, I can't help but think that if she were in the same vein as my dad, she could be dutiful to everyone, ANd try to be at home more than once a week. Have her make the air around me less...still when I'm studying."

 _...ONCE A WEEK!?_  "Has it...been like that for a while?"

"Since, well...the day after my birthday. The reassignment, looking into these mental shutdowns...I think I'm done speaking about for it for now. You must think I'm so selfish, venting like this."

 _Damn..._ "If anything, I think you're not selfish enough. Balance is important. Or well,  _should be_  important. Now...I know it's off-topic, but I don't think we discussed the "conditions" of you helping me?"

"C-conditions?"

"Well...suffice it to say, I am aiming for top ten. I have done it before...but I'm not taking any chances. In return..."

"...What?"

Ren rubbed his chin in jest. "Let's see..."

She leaned forward, hands clasped. "...What?!"

"...I'll fix your bike."

"...Bike?"

"Yes, your bike. What, you don't have a license? I thought you would have a license if you had a bike."

"Well I do, but...this is too much! Do you even know how to fix one of them?"

 _Now I'm just insulted._ "Why you'd think I carry all that stuff in my bag? Decoration?"

"Well...but...Sis should drive it, and-"

"Does she use it often?"

"...No..."

"Then it's YOUR bike, for the time being. And perhaps, you can take it out like you've wanted to."

_This is so odd for him to request this...but..._

Her mind then drifted to an open road, snaking through the hills, the breeze pushing her air back...

"I'll get you more Buchimaru stuff as well," Ren piped.

"Then...I WILL NOT HOLD BACK!" she said, with rosy cheeks.

 _Well, that was fast._  "Alright then. Just, don't overdo..."

"I'LL MAKE YOU NUMBER 1 THEN!"

"...it." Ren yawned. "Alright, then. I'll guess I'll shoot for number one then."  _Maybe then a part of me will enjoy rubbing it in once I get it._

The train eastward rolled up.  _And not a moment too soon. I felt like I was going to doze off on the bench like a schlub._

The pair, now tutor and tutee, found themselves now on an empty train. All the while, Makoto couldn't help but be stuck replaying the picture in her mind. She couldn't help but sprout a grin, one in expectation of the actual wind rushing past her soon.  _In the middle of the night, when Sae is not around...but, maybe. Just maybe..._

"You know, Ren, I take it back. I HAVE gone to a ramen shop before."

"You...did? Why did you say-"

"Well, it's been so long, but having ramen today made me remember the last time I did. I think I was still in elementary, but...I remember it was a small shop out near Akihabara. My dad brought me along on one of his off days. I remember it was so busy when we visited...I almost felt weird, being so small in a cramped place and surrounded by people. I couldn't think of going there on my own then." She then paused. "...I can't see myself going alone, even now. To think, all this time, I'm about to be an adult, and I'm no better than my younger self..."

"Yeah, well...I guess you aren't alone now," he droned.

She smiled. "I guess-"

She then felt a soft thud on her shoulder. She turned, making her face redden on the sight of him passed out on her.

 _...W-well...he did need the sleep after_   _all._ "I'll just let you enjoy the ride then," she whispered. She then took out her phone to look at the time.  _Oh no! It's so late! Did I get that distracted!?_

She sighed.

_Well...at least Sae didn't spam me...I'll just cross my fingers she won't be awake at home, waiting for me._

Her spirits dimmed.

_Sae..._

She then looked at Ren, sleeping peacefully on her shoulders, rocking back and forth from the rattling of the train.  _Like a newborn in the cradle._

She then grinned.  _I guess I'm not alone then._

Her eyes then drift towards the bag.

Whatever merriment she felt went down a few decibels, as she couldn't shake the feeling. The "itch."

The one she kept on feeling when he 'held back.'

She pondered about it, but she decided against zipping open the bag.  _The cat wouldn't let me do it quietly anyway._

* * *

4/29

Midnight struck on Endo's digital watch.

"...Goddamn back." He held the finest cup of old, microwave-heated coffee he could scrounge this late at night. He took a sip. "That cardboard taste always does it for me," he said dryly. "The very least I can do, given that I'm going to get shit for filing things late. I'm going to have to do contort-"

He then saw a table with a lamplight on and a frazzled ball of grey hair over a desk, hunched over.

 _...Tryhard._  "I thought prodigies of the law should look presentable."

She slowly raised her head, revealing a clenched set of incisors. "...Save that for the boy wonder detective who has to attend school and has a stable sleep schedule."

"You act like you ain't above it, but the way I see it, you all are a bunch of bookworms that have a small bit of time in the spotlight. "

She grunted. "I just did a stupid test earlier than everyone else, and the media made their business off my back. I gave them my piece of mind..." She forced her baggy eyes onto his wizened ones. "And I'm not afraid to do it now."

Endo smirked. "Coffee?"

She waved him off. "I already had four."

He then looked at her trash bin. "Liar. There are no cups in there."

She snarled. "Fine. I just don't want coffee. I just...need a quick nap."

He sniffed the air around her. "Goddamnit, treat the job with some dignity and mask your odors, woman."

She slammed the desk. "I would if I didn't forget to get more perfume. And I thought I had enough for myself...Whatever. I'll wash back when I drop by early in the morning."

"Early in the morning? Sure. Maybe you can get 15 minutes of sleep on the couch and eat a small grain of rice and be back here just in time."

"...What do you want?"

"Nothing. I was passing by. Now, I'm just wondering when you're going to go home."

"...I'll go home when I want to change."

Endo groaned and rubbed his eyes, which, at this hour, were throbbing from staring at computer screens for too long. "What about your sister?"

"She's fine. She's more than fine. She's just a teen."

"Yeah...alone and carefree. Perfect ground for her to slack off and NOT wonder where her sister is.."

Her eyes bulged toward him. "...Don't make light of this."

"Fine. Remind me again. She got into Shujin, right?"

"Yeah. She's about to graduate. Top of the class."

He then put another cigarette in his mouth. "Like sister, like sister. You think she'll do better than you?"

She stood up and began to walk around, hands on her hips and head tilted down to the ground. "...If she is, it will be because I enabled it."

Something about the phrasing made him want a hard drink.  _Geez..._ "Enable? Alright then...So I don't have to brief you about what we're doing, right?"

"We're just going to be looking at some shops in Shinjuku. That's about it."

He struck a match. "That's right. We are LOOKING. We are not trying to find anything. The Director might act otherwise...but we will not ASK for trouble. Don't be impatient."

"I'm not stupid."

He puffed. "No, but you're young and you have terrible work-life balance."

"You're no better," she seethed.

He riposted with a chuckle. "That's also because...I was young and had terrible work-life balance." He then took the cigarette out of his mouth. "So, Shujin, eh? You aren't concerned about that whole mess with the principal and the gym teacher?"

What should have produced a loud thud in her heart made only a soft thud in the exhausted Sae. "She'll be fine. She's capable. She can take down anyone who'd dare try to touch her."

"I'm not talking about the physical aspects."

"Even then, the gym teacher is in custody and he'll be readily tried with the testimony given," she said coldly.

"...Seriously?" Endo exclaimed. "You'd think you'd give a...whatever. And the Principal? You know how these schools work? You probably don't even have a clue what the Principal kept hush-hush for that man. What he might have had Makoto do to keep things in his favor."

She sighed even heavier this time as she grabbed a nicely trimmed sandwich from her desk. "Come over here."

"What the hell are you doing, Sae?"

"Come over here!"

Endo dragged his aching feet over to her desk.

Sae had a picture of Kobayakawa strewn on the autopsy bench.

 _Stitched up, thank god._  "Why the hell are you showing me this? I already know he's dead."

"My point exactly." She then took a bite, the energy zapped from her voice. "Good is good. Bad is bad. As much as I talked to that man, time to time at PTA meetings...one bit of rot gives everything a fetor. He just saved me time. So did that gym teacher." She took another bite, savoring every flavor her sister packed in between the pieces of the bread.

Her callousness made him shudder, worse than anything he's seen at a crime scene. He stepped away from the desk. "You really are one fucked-up lady."

"Justice comes in different ways. After this, I can focus on what's important. These damn mental shutdowns..."  _It's all a goddamn conspiracy..._

 _...Important, huh? Stupid fucking bitch._ Endo shook his head. "See you tomorrow with Pretty Boy. I'll file in the morning." He then trudged to the elevator, reduced to muttering to himself. "Kazu...I'm sorry."

All the while Sae kept munching away, staring at the screen.  _It's not like this is the first time I've seen a dead body._

_At the very least, now, it's from the OTHER side of the law._

"Just a leveling of the scales," she smirked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! So to explain some things:
> 
> The last part with Sae was a last minute thought, which fed into the delay of the new chapter. I'm definitely wanting to play with the idea of contrasting stories in the arc, and I'm hoping to create some really interesting scenarios that build on what's already in the game.
> 
> Second of all, a bit fluffy in the middle here. Hope some of you enjoy that.
> 
> And third:
> 
> ...I definitely been priming the inclusion of the other Queen for a while, if you haven't been sensing it from my gratuitous inclusion of best doge. I was just waiting for the right moment. I'll still try to make this mainly be a Persona 5 story. I am not planning on making this entirely a crossover (yet). Just something to expand the scope of the world in the story I have here, since many bring up questions about what happened to the other teams during the game. It's just something fun to explore and to think of.
> 
> Stay tuned...
> 
> P.S. Sae probably should just give up wear black lipstick and a large-brim black hat already and run a casino already....
> 
> 12/21: Just editing here and there. Nothing major; just me being nitpicky


	25. Arc 2, Chapter 3: From the Shadows, Pt. I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The night concludes.  
> Everyone in the morning is struck with anticipation.  
> Also, the protagonist might be a sociopath.
> 
> ...Maybe.

With the skidding of the brakes, and Akira shot his eyes open, eyes shut long enough they began to feel puffy, but not crusty. His senses crept back in: the rocking of the carriage, the brushing of soft, blue flannel on his cheek, the strobe of lit skyscrapers in the distance, and  _that_ scent.

The last part made him bashful in a flash. "Makoto! I-I'm being rud-"

He darted his eyes upwards to a Makoto reading a novel in her hands.  _"Don Quijote,_ "  _huh?_  "Getting some reading in for school?"

"Just to pass the time," she mused. "You didn't bother me in the slightest. At this rate, any period of sleep would be good for you."

"I'm surprised you didn't snore this time," Morgana commented through Ren's bag.

The train sputtered to a stop at Central Station, now sparsely-populated with vagabonds, gauntly-looking salarymen.

As much as she enjoyed the night, Makoto could "It's late, Ren. You should head back to LeBlanc and catch up."

It should have been a simple request. But for Ren, it was a tug-of-war.

_You should make sure she's safe._

_Nonsense, she's got things together. It's late. You shouldn't drag the night out much longer, especially after she chewed you out for staying up._

_You should make sure she's safe always._ _Kamoshida-_

_KAMOSHIDA? What is he, the boogeyman? He's gone._

'Minako' chimed in. ...But _you know, don't you Renren?_

Her icy words made the hairs on his back stand straight up, almost as if she were here but a sliver's distance away from his ears:

_Man always makes a boogeyman. A boogeyman that can take everything you love away._

"...You're right," Ren said to Makoto. "I'll let you go, this time."

He cracked a smile, but his strained eyes and wavering irises gave him away.

Makoto couldn't help but lean forward and mimic his anguished look, unsure of what prompted it. "Ren..are you ok?"

He forced his smile to be softer. "I'm fine. I guess the exhaustion is kicking in."

"Well...get some rest then."  _You're starting to look as gaunt as my Sis is on a bad day._ She then embraced him; and he reciprocated ever tighter, his arms not wanting to budge, lest he let the voices haunt him once more.

_Still..._

He had to let go, not wanting the good times spiral away.

She was about to head her way, but stopped and turned around. "You know Ren...if you have something to tell me...don't hesitate. I want to be..." She refrained for a moment. "I'm there if you need me. It's the least I can do."  _Being Student Council President...being little Sis_ _...it feels like it's all I CAN do._

_Just be there._

She was tempted to scowl at herself. "Night," she said softly.

She waved him off as he started walking west.

She was about to head off herself, when the greatest of coincidences occurred.

At first, she almost assumed it was a different person, with the only thing catching her eye being the weird side ponytail fashioned.

The straps tied to the Shujin shirt told her enough.

But the girl's face was a dead giveaway.

"Eiko," she said softly to herself. She thought about calling out to her, but there was something a tad troubling.

She saw her coming out of a line usually reserved for north.

_There's only a few lines from north open at this time._

Her heart sunk when she saw the maid headband on her.

 _And Shinjuku's one of them_.

She had to make sure.

_Tomorrow._

* * *

A distance off, he relaxed the facade and frowned.  _Well, Renren. You've outdone yourself._ _Again_.

"Another woman seems to pity me now," he commented out loud.

"You wouldn't seem pitiful if you took care of yourself," Morgana responded. "Sleep this time. Please."

"Arrgh, fine."  _I really should, though. It's starting to feel like someone is following me._

"Good."

A few minutes passed. And yet...

Something kept pricking at Akira's eardrums. At first, he thought it was just the wind, but he soon found it to be a distant echo, blended in with the occasional striking of something hard, like concrete.

Even Morgana's ears started to perk. "I think I hear an argument in the distance." Its left ear started to shift around, turning ever so slightly. "Northeast, by the sound of it. Pretty close by."

Before Morgana could ask, Akira pivoted towards that way, flexing his fingers in anticipation.

The source of the sound wasn't too far off. It came from a dimly-lit alleyway, near a trash can bordering a shallow puddle of water. Getting closer revealed a man and woman arguing.

Akira hugged a corner, leaning his ear closer to the corner.

He then heard a young adult, with a shaky, pained voice and a loose-fitting suit, lost in a tirade. "...You're seeing him again, aren't you?"

The lady with him had a trembling voice. "Please...Natsuhiko, I can see whoever-"

He hammered the dumpster next to him before she could finish her sentence. "Not unless I have anything to say about it!"

The lady was not reduced to quivering on the ground.

"This seems bad," Morgana then said, still staring ahead along with Akira. "Your call, but-"

"Shh. Quiet." Slowly, he pulled a hood from under his shirt and cowled his head, pulling the front of the sweatshirt over his face and pinning it in place.

Morgana kept quiet, but glared in judgment at, in its eyes, his overly eager companion.

The man kept raving. "After all we've done...you stupid whore. You belong to ME!"

By 'whore,' the baton was out, brandished...

 _And charged,_ Akira mused.

The air was silent; the biting wind buggered off.

Ren figured his baton could chirp a bit.

The baton sang for a moment.

It made the man snap in Ren's direction. "W-who's that?" he fidgeted.

Akira slowly came from his hiding place, far enough from the spotlight so that the man only saw his silhouette.

The baton chirped again.

"G-goddamnit, what you doing here!? Mind your own business!" the man cried while the woman kept cowering in fear.

All the while, Akira stayed silent, advancing slowly, with his baton dragging through the dribbles of water on the ground.

"S-stop, you punk! What are you d-doing?"

Now under the light, Akira felt like opening his mouth. "You know, I'm tempted to dial the police about a domestic disturbance, but...police..." He then stared at the fearful lady. "...Witnesses...they're not always reliable, are they?"

The salaryman loosened his damp collar furthered. "I-I'M...This is ADULT-"

He then took a page out of the Velvet Room and struck at the dumpster hard. "Adult business? Like I'd care. Right now, it's just me, you, and the lady. And, for all you know, I could be carrying more than a baton. AND, considering your outfit, and how late this is, and how you're sweating profusely at the collar, I'd reckon you're not the fighting type." He inched further. "You may be angry and stupid enough to try, though."

The salaryman Natsuhiko tightened a spare fist. "You'd fare no better."

"And I could care less," Akira feigned without a quiver. "Your voice, though, says otherwise. You can leave with your dignity intact, with none the wiser. And the lady can keep quiet about all of this. Right, miss?"

Dazed, she nodded, staring ahead.

"Now, go off," Akira further added. "It's late, and I want to sleep without you two making a racket. And with my long friend here unsullied, preferably."

Natsuhiko lingered. Without a word, he walks away from the other two, growling.

The woman, however, stayed downcast, in a quasi-trance. "This is the third time, this month," she lamented to herself. "He just doesn't quit...I'm doomed." Her eyes then snapped back to the boy who was concealing his face, and she resigned herself more to circumstance. "P-please, sir, whatever you are going to do to me..."

"Wait, what?"

"My purse...or, if you want something else..."

"Lady," Akira exclaimed. "I'm not some hoodlum!"

The lady's look did not budge.

"Look, I'm just...it's a precaution. As I said, I got to get home, but how about this: I'll hear you out if you want, and we never see each other again."

She paused for a good, long minute, the silence not budging once. Then:

"You know, when I first met that man, he was nice. I'm a silly girl, now that I think about it. I used to pass the time, hearing about all of the things he used to create, the things he used to paint...he seemed happier. And then, something happened."

"What happened?"

She started to sob. "I don't know. His mentor said everything was alright, but there was this one time. He visited me late at night, drunk. Said I'd ruined his ability to paint...we broke up the morning after. And then, two weeks later, I find him working an office job, yelling at me over the phone."

"And you tried blocking him? Avoiding him?"

She slunk deeper into herself. "He knows me too well. I've tried moving on, but...I...it's not easy. They'll just assume I was all my fault nothing worked out." She smiled sadly. "Even my friends and family would think so."

"Sounds like you just keep shit company."

The lady giggled. "You're blunt. For a kid, by the sounds of it." She then stood from the wall she was leaning on. "It's funny. I call you a kid, and here I am, still living with my parents and my sister, posting for someone to help me on some stupid Phansite or whatever..."

 _And now the picture comes together..._ "You did that recently?"

She nodded. "A few hours ago, to be precise."

"Akira...ask what her name is," Morgana said from his bag.

"You post a name?"

"Umm...Natsuhiko Nakanohana...why?"

And with that, he began to walk off, grinning under his veil. "Have faith miss. You have a good night."

She reached out for Akira in a panic. "Please, don't hurt him..."

His voice softened. "Miss, he won't be hurt. Just...you post on that site, something good will happen. These guys, the Phantom Thieves, they'll change his heart back to the man you loved. Trust me." He went back to walking west.

"I-I won't mention what happened tonight!" she then uttered.

He smirked. "Trust me. If it isn't your sense of gratitude, it will be either fear or shame."  _I know that too well..._

Turning the corner, he packed his baton into his coat and tucked his hoodie back under his shirt.

"You're an idiot, you know that?" Morgana growled.

"I, unfortunately, don't hesitate anymore," Akira said. "I can't."

"Were you really planning to assault him?"

Akira shrugged. "Let's just say I would have met any escalation of his with that of my own."

"Unbelievable," Morgana muttered. "Sometimes, I wish you just lay LOW. Why are all of the guys on the team like this?"

He sighed, knowing too well what 'laying low' permitted at Shujin: a gym teacher, a principal, and a black mark on his conscience.  _A black speck that I have to clear for a righteous society._

He could have explained this to Morgana...but he reckoned sleep was more important than clarification.

Another 15 minutes of walking under streetlights later, he opened the doors of LeBlanc, lazily shed his clothes, shoved his sleepwear on, and collapsed onto the bed.

Morgana, now free, curled next to a barely conscious Akira. "Well, on the bright side, I think we have all the marks ticked to visit Mementos finally."

"And that, Morgana, is better than a bedtime story." Akira shoved his face into his pillow. "Brief me in the morning. I'll relay it to the rest. Does two days worth of planning work for what you have in mind?"

"Two days is fine with me. Probably enough to repay your sleep debt."

"Hmpfh. Funny."

Before he closed his eyes, the thought came to him. "That bag..." He opened the bag up. "He said something about a 'sample.'"

"Funny, I was going to suggest we take a peak."

Akira brushed aside the money and, upon seeing the 'sample's' matte finish shine in the face of moonlight hues, woke himself up. "Crap, that looks REALLY real...I'd reckon that this REALLY could pass off as the real thing."

"You willing to bring this up with Iwai next time you see him? He asked you not to look inside..."

Akira sighed. "As much as I don't want to, I rather not leave any stone unturned."  _Especially, for our first 'official outing.'_ "Tomorrow then."

* * *

The morning crept through the blinds of the vacant Nijima residence, casting silky striations on the floor.

Sae moved the tumblers on the front door and dragged herself to the shower, removing an article of clothing with every pair of steps.  _I don't have much time._ _The job is starting in the early morning._

She then turned on the hot water and went to rinsing and scrubbing her hair furiously of any gunk she collected on her hairline from pressing her forehead into the table once she was done.

After roughly drying off her hair with a towel, she brushed her teeth, sprayed from a new bottle some perfume, and yanked, much to her luck, a finely ironed suit jacket and blouse to hastily put on and button up.

Jacket on and work shoes snug on her feet, Sae bolted to the kitchen. Much to her chagrin, there wasn't a meal left for her.  _Damnit, Makoto. Not right now..._  "I'll just resort to the convenience store then. Son of a bitch." She slammed the door and left, jogging to the elevator and punching "Ground Floor" in a mad dash.

A minute of Sae rapidly tapping her feet on the metal elevator door, she reached the floor to meet Endo at the dial and Akechi fussing with his collar. "Hope I didn't take too long."

"You get your grain of rice?" Endo then said.

"Food will have to wait."

"Fine by me, as long as you don't keel over."

The trio then walked to a police car on the nearest street. "I'll drive," Endo then said.

Sae rode shotgun. "I still can't believe we are hitting multiple places in one day. Even if we're doing a house call around a bunch of blocks, you'd think they mobilize more officers for something like this."

"We'll have the all of the ward's street members at our disposal," Endo commented. "But you're right,  _on first glance_. Thing is, these places, if surveillance is right, have owners that don't take too kindly to having their 'gentleman's agreement' with the police being ripped up. Even if it's a house call."

"Gentleman's agreement? Tch. Wonderful. I'd expect no less from Shinjuku."

"I see...is corruption truly as entrenched as you claim?" Akechi wondered.

Endo lit another death stick, chuckling between coughs. "Corruption? It's a bit more complicated than that. People on the ground call it 'self-policing.'"

"Call it what it is, Endo. It's turning a blind eye," Sae bitterly muttered. "Bunch of 'saving face' measures that don't allot to anything."

"Most of those guys still associate with unsavory elements. And yeah, it ain't always peachy. But they're trying to make a living. And if they want to hurt anyone, they usually do it to themselves, according to their code."

"Doesn't really lend itself to civility in practice," Akechi added.

"Civility. Heh. Some people also preach civility while slamming a perp in the concrete."

Akechi smiled. "Interesting, the whataboutery you spout. Never would take you for an idealist."

"That's pragmatism, boy. You work the street long enough, you'll learn that stuff. Besides, I'm too old to dream."

Akechi chuckled. "Somehow, I believe you'll try anyway."

Endo grumbled.

"Enough of this," Sae boomed. "I'm not sitting here while we justify not doing goddamn policework. Where in Shinjuku are we heading, first?"

"The Red-Light district; perhaps Pretty Boy's balls will drop once he sees a maid girl."

Akechi laughed it off. "I prefer just staying on my consultation job, thank you very much." He then took out a laptop and opened a map on the screen. "It does make sense, though. We get a few pings in the area around the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building, but most of them from surveillance showed most of the activity there. That reminds me." He then took off his jacket and pulled out a silver hoodie.

"What are you doing," asked Sae.

"...I wouldn't like having my reputation associated with a place like that," Akechi answered.

"Tch," Endo uttered.  _Goddamn kid...reputation should be the least of your concerns..._

_Both of you._

Sae relented. "Akechi, you still have a piece of bread on you?"

"I do. I was saving it for later, but if you really need something to eat..."

Sae snatched the bread Akechi held out and devoured it in seconds. "...It had custard in it."

"...I just like sweets."

* * *

First period.

 _Another web of gossip and idle chit-chat,_ Akira noted with his head lying on the window next to him.

Ann then went to her seat, her steps springier than usual, thanks to the recent development. "I got your message. So, we're actually doing this?"

Akira nodded. "Morgana said this job won't be as bad as Kamoshida. Just a teller at a government ward's office."

Ann dimmed. "I don't want to think about someone else worse than him, sorry. Still, a stalker? A bit small. BUT, I guess we can use the warm-up."

"And I bet Ryuji's jumping in his seat," Akira said, twirling his phone around his finger. "Hope he doesn't overdo it."

"Guess he could use the exercise. He always gets so grumpy if he goes without something to occupy his time."

"Sounds eerily familiar," Morgana whispered from the table.

"Be quiet," Akira seethed. "You're still under my desk, remember?"

"What did Mona say?" Ann wondered. "Something more about this Mementos place?"

"Ahh, nothing," Akira replied.

"Actually, speaking of Mona, did he ever explain as to why we can just go in there? Why we don't have to do the whole 'Calling Card' thing?"

Akira clasped Morgana's muzzle shut. "Something about Mementos being a Palace of the collective consciousness. I reckon that if someone were to declare their desire for someone's Heart to get stolen somewhere public, like a Phansite, then it can be stolen. As long as their name is posted, we can do whatever we need to do."

"I suppose that makes sense," Ann replied. "All of this Mementos stuff is so odd. I wish people's minds weren't so complicated."

Akira smiled insolently. "Is that why you prefer Ryuji over other boys?"

Ann's face became a crimson flush. "...I wish we were in Mementos already so I can burn your face off right now," she whispered. "Is the Student Council going to be a problem?"

"Not that I foresee..."

Ann squinted his eyes at him. "You don't seem sure."

He pressed his head further on the glass. "One can never be sure of anything with her around." He smiled sadly, tempted to hold back his next words. "...I'm always worried," he said, words trailing through the gaps in his mouth like sand through one's fingers.

Before Ann could, out of placation, crack a smile, Mishima approached the two.

"H-hey guys," Mishima said, fidgeting with his fingers. "How are you? Is…Suzui doing ok?"

"Fine," Ann said coldly. "Last time I checked, you can visit her yourself if you wanted to be sure."

Mishima's head tilted down. "…Right." A moment later, he snapped his head back up, now looking at Akira. "You know, I've added more to the design of the website. Now, it'll signal what targets we're planning on taking on."

"That's good," Akira responded. "...I guess. Anything else?"

"Um...also, um...look, I'm still really sorry..."

"And I hope you will continue to be sorry," Ann quickly added.

"Ann..." Akira uttered in disbelief.

"You are associating with us," Ann continued. "We're not buddy-buddy. You just assist in administrative duties on the website. We're not going to hear you out. Act sorry and continue working. Have I made that clear, Mishima?"

"...Yes, ma'am. Excuse me." He bowed and then returned to his seat.

"He really should stop bowing like that," Akira commented. "Freaks me out a bit."

"Yeah, I know...hey, did I overdo it back there? With Mishima?"

"A bit," Akira responded. "Still, we gave him a chance. Doesn't mean you get off the hook for the past." His spirts then lowered. "No one does."

Before Ann could respond, Kawakami walked in.

Or rather, trudged in, head bowed and swaying ever so slightly.

Even by previous standards, this was bad. The slurring, the scrunched brow, the heavy panting, and the multitudinous wrinkles on her already low-key choice of orange, long-sleeved shirt showed a desperate haste.

"Class..." She then coughed; she also didn't even bother to wear a medical mask to cover her mouth, so the front of the class had to brace himself. "We'll..."

She stumbled more.

Akira was now expecting the worst.

"We'll..."

She collapsed, hitting the front of a student's desk with her head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, I got this out.
> 
> Originally, I expected to be done on Christmas Eve. I thought, that, after I'd travel back home to my family in Los Angeles, I'd be able to type up the rest.
> 
> But (grumble), I was slated to wrap Christmas presents this year.
> 
> For the whole extended family.
> 
> So that, along with Christmas festivities, delayed everything. I also don't like posting on Wednesdays if I don't have to, so I decided to delay everything until Friday night.
> 
> The slow internet where I am didn't help things. So much frozen pages...
> 
> Anyways, hope you enjoy the newest chapter! I originally wanted to add a bit more at the end. But, after some thought, I decided to push that next chapter.
> 
> I'm shooting for the new chapter by Friday.
> 
> Stay tuned...
> 
> P.S. If any changes here in this chapter, it'll be some small phrasing edits (or fixing some small grammatical errors I'm not aware of).


End file.
